Friday September 5th 2025
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
New banking hubs are being set up in two West Lothian towns to replace bank branches which have closed in recent years
Both Linlithgow and Bathgate will get new hubs to help residents – but there is disappointment in Bathgate that a campaign to retain the new hub in the town centre has failed.
Instead residents will face a ten minutes walk from the Steelyard and George Street centre of the town to reach the hub, at the Morrison’s Supermarket car park just off Whitburn Road.
The hubs are being established by charity Cash Access.
Local businesswoman Nicola Burns raised a petition of more than 1,500 signatures seeking to keep the Bathgate banking hub in the main shopping area.
A smaller version of the new hub currently operates on a temporary basis within the town’s partnership centre.
The petition was launched two months ago online.
The petition page said: “the current proposal to situate the Cash Access Banking hub on the outskirts poses significant challenges for many in our community.
“One of the critical issues with the proposed location is its inaccessibility to non-drivers. Many residents, especially the elderly and those without access to personal vehicles, find it difficult to travel long distances. The town centre, on the other hand, is a convenient spot where people naturally gravitate, making it an ideal location for essential services like the Cash Access Banking hub.”
The petition reached all board members of the charity and brought the CEO of Cash Access to visit Bathgate.
However the decision retain the Morrisons Car par site remains in place.
Nicola told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she had met with a representative of the charity: “She said ‘what I can say is that because of some of things that we’d highlighted in the petition those will be added to any future cash access hubs,’ so although it may not benefit Bathgate it should benefit other branches in the future.”
Nicola added: “I didn’t succeed, but at the same time I’m proud that I actually did something about it, and really proud of all the people who signed the petition, especially the ones who and asked came and asked if they could take petitions away and who then went to their own community groups or churches and got them filled out.”
The prefabricated building is almost ready for siting.
Cash Access said: “The Morrisons car park is accessed via Linkston Way with pedestrian links provided throughout the car park to the adjacent perimeter footpaths leading to key areas for easy access.
The application states: “The Banking Hub will be used as a cash and basic banking facility, providing cash transactions via the counter service, and basic banking support through a rotation of Community Bankers from CAUK’s member banks. This will be incredibly beneficial for all members of the community including local business, who have all been affected by recent branch closures and lack of access to cash and banking services in the town.
“The application also states that the scheme seeks to revitalise the existing Morrisons car park by offering more choice to customers and generating new employment opportunities through the provision of the banking hub. Cash Access UK in conjunction with Wm Morrison Supermarkets hope that the advantages of this proposal as well as the overall benefits to the local community will be supported.”
Local SNP Councillor Pauline Stafford told a meeting of the council’s Executive that she had hoped the petition would change minds about the siting.
She welcomed the agreement to provide the new cash hubs in both Linlithgow and Bathgate.
The Executive heard that the Linlithgow hub will be sited in currently vacant office space at 30 The Vennel.
A report describing the Cash Access hubs profile to councillors said: “The proposed tenant is a multinational banking retailer that offers face-to-face banking in local communities across the UK.
“This retailer acts as an umbrella for various banking groups to operate under the one roof typically in towns/villages that have experienced the closure of their high street bank branches over the years.
“The business allows for generic everyday banking to be carried out such as paying in/withdrawing cash, paying utility bills as well as engaging with community bankers from varying branches on their specific day at the property.”
No suitable office space, including the former RBS branch, in Bathgate could be found as an alternative to the prefabricated building which is currently being completed.
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