A BANKING hub will not be built in Alloa, despite the town having just one high street bank remaining open.

Calls for a banking hub, which provides face-to-face services from all major high street providers, had been made following TSB’s decision to close their Alloa branch.

LINK, the organisation responsible for co-ordinating the ATM network across the country, have confirmed they will not recommend a banking hub for Alloa, insisting that the town has more than enough services.

A spokesperson from LINK said: “We are committed to maintaining access to cash on the high street and have assessed in detail the need for additional cash services in Alloa.

“As there will still be a bank branch, a Post Office and free-to-use ATMS available to consumers in Alloa following the closure of the TSB, we have not recommended any new services in the town.

“You can read our details assessment at link.co.uk/our-assessments. Should the local situation change, we will re-assess the need for cash services locally.”

The closure of the TSB means that the only high street bank left in Alloa is the Bank of Scotland on Mar Street.

A local petition had been launched by Keith Brown, SNP MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, who was championing the need for a banking hub in Alloa.

The petition had garnered significant backing, with the news that there will be no banking hub in Alloa coming as a disappointment to the politician.

He commented: “I was disappointed to hear of LINK’s decision to not pursue a banking hub in Alloa.

“As has been said before, following the closure of TSB, there is only one remaining high street bank in the entirety of Clackmannanshire – an area of 52,000 people.

“It is vitally important that the people of Clackmannanshire and the innumerable businesses in the area, continue to have access to high street banking services.

“While I welcome the news that other sites across Scotland, like Huntly or Bo’ness, are to receive a banking hub, I cannot help but recognise that these will serve a smaller population size than a banking hub in Clackmannanshire.

“So, I’m urging LINK to look again at this decision – and I’ll continue to make the case for supporting people and businesses in Clackmannanshire with a banking hub in Alloa.”