Bank of Scotland Closure
Dennistonian posted on the 26/05/2015 11:02:52 AM
Hi there. Did anyone else get a letter from the Bank of Scotland to say it's closing and the nearest branch is Parkhead Forge? I always thought it was quite a busy wee branch. Think it's such a shame!!
- 7 Replies :
#1 - anon replied on the 26/05/2015 5:21:30 PM
any idea when it's closing?
#2 - rutht replied on the 26/05/2015 9:17:53 PM
They have poster up in there door, I think it is the 12th of August but wasn't paying much attention. Dennistonian I was thinking the same, there is always a wee queue and lovely staff! Will be a shame to see it go!
#3 - Dennistonian replied on the 26/05/2015 10:26:15 PM
Thanks rutht as think ripped letter up and put in recycling!
#4 - Dennistoun Community Council replied on the 27/05/2015 10:54:44 AM
Closure was highlighted on BBC news website last Friday, 22nd May. Info at www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-32844556
It is a further loss to Dennistoun and likely to have a negative impact on Duke Street (and it's a fair hike to the Bank of Scotland branch at The Forge).
Dennistoun Community Council published (in 2014) an audit of shops and amenities on Duke Street - roughly between Bellgrove Street and Millerston Street. Of just under 200 shops we noted the following:
- Takeaways = 9%;
- Goods and Services (Banks, General stores, Newsagents, Clothing, Dentist & Doctor surgeries, Cafes (unlicensed) = 51%;
- Licensed Premises (Alcohol on/off-sales, restaurants, cafes) = (7%);
- Hair and Beauty services (Hairdressing, Tanning, Tattoo, Other Beauty) = 20%);
- Betting shops, Money Lending, Pawnbrokers = 6%; and
- Vacant units, charity shops = 7%.
We also noted areas for improvement and made a number of recommendations, including:
- Support for a local traders association;
- environmental enhancements;
- improved signage/facades;
- community notice boards;
- events programme;
- festive lighting; and
- farmers market options.
Duke Street is designated a 'Local Town Centre' in Glasgow's Development Plan. It's up for discussion whether the mix outlined above presents a viable and sustainable town centre.
A DCC working group is currently working on a community engagement plan relation to the Duke Street Project.
Further info soon on this site and the DCC website.
Stephen
#5 - Fiona replied on the 29/05/2015 11:16:14 AM
It's a shame that this is closing but it seems to be a sign of the times - more and more people are doing banking online and business are cutting their costs by closing down branches.
It's disappointing though because I would have thought that Dennistoun out of many places would have enough people making use of these branches to sustain them.
I wonder what a 'viable and sustainable town centre' actually is these days? There is the town centre that many people would like to see, full of a variety of different businesses all thriving, and there is the town centre that people actually use and businesses that are able to survive and thrive in the current times- which probably isn't always the vision that many have in mind.
The recommendations from DCC all sound great, hopefully Duke Street can welcome and make use of new small businesses in the area.
#6 - Robert replied on the 1/06/2015 10:24:51 PM
Stephen, on the note of a farmers market. That would be the perfect sort of thing to go in under the cover at the old abattoir opposite Bellgrove station.
#7 - Dennistoun Community Council replied on the 3/06/2015 11:27:16 PM
Thanks, Fiona and Robert, for your contributions.
Good point regarding what we individually and collectively consider to be 'viable and sustainable' - folk will have different ideas and aspirations as to what that should/could be: DCC's consultation on the Duke Street project will soon provide a forum for those views to be made.
Perhaps the key is to encourage increased usage by the local community? There are good examples of 'shop local' initiatives underpinned by opportunities for businesses, communities, councils and interested parties to communicate and collaborate. Access, appearance, branding, incentives, events, design, etc, are all matters for discussion and potential development.
Robert's suggestion of a farmers market at the former abattoir site is a good one. The site was highlighted in Glasgow's Development Plan (with a proposal for a large-scale housing development). Glasgow City Council committee yesterday, 2nd June, approved the City Deal Glasgow Programme and a GCC news item outlined proposed "remediation of land at the former meat market site at Bellgrove to create an attractive development site close to the city centre."
Glasgow's draft Local Development Plan had the site ear-marked for housing development (proposal number H080) - so land remediation might make this more likely to progress.
Stephen
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