Recent news about RBS’s decision to close another 18 branches across Scotland has struck a chord with me.
At one time, there were three banks in our town, Grantown-on-Spey. Now there are none, something we have in common with an increasing numbers of UK towns and villages.
The closures are something I covered as news when I was a journalist but I still take an interest now because of our new-ish venture – the Spey Bank Studio.
The business is an art gallery, shop and pottery – ostensibly an expansion of Angus’s established art business. He used to see his mugs and prints in a 3m x 3m gazebo at craft fairs and events around the Highlands. Now, we have a fixed and mostly warm base.*
A potted history
The Spey Bank Studio gives a clue to the former use of our premises. We are in the former offices of the Bank of Scotland’s Grantown branch. This building was built around 1865, a grand imposing addition to the the top of the High Street. First, the Caledonian Bank operated here, until when there was a merger with the Bank of Scotland in 1907. It remained in this company’s hands until March 2021, when the doors closed (to use a journalistic cliché).
Covid had provided a brief reprieve but the BoS stuck to their closure plan and Grantown was one of 15 Scottish branches to shut at this time (a total of 65 UK-wide). The removal firm was there the next day to clear things out.
We have brought it back to life and are mindful of its history. There are still reminders of its past – we have kept automatic doors and the business counter. The night safe is also a feature, though the removal men took the door! This is a fuller account of what we found when we got the keys here.
No banks in town
The town got a mobile service to fill the gap. It’s like a mobile library except with paying in books. Every week, you could head off to the town centre to find the van and queue up outside for your turn in the banking bus.
RBS was doing the same, having shut their Grantown branch in 2019. We looked at this building when it came on the market but our son arrived early a week after the viewing. Unsurprisingly, we didn’t get around to making an offer on that one.
Ironically, this building now houses a gift shop – Highland Artisans, which moved from a smaller shop across the street in early 2024. There’s also artist/exhibition space, Open Space | The Vault.
Our nearest branch of any bank is Aviemore, though this too will be lost to us soon. It’s scheduled to close in June.
What happened to your bank?
In our gallery, we hear the phrase ‘I remember when it was a bank’ fairly regularly, as if BoS is already part of some long past history. I look at my sons and realise they will likely never know that a bank really is / was. To them, the bank is somewhere that Daddy goes to work sometimes.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about what happens to these buildings after the banks move out. They are often in prominent positions in their town. Often, like ours, they are historical buildings, with listings and restrictions.
How long does it take for them to become occupied again? Weeks, months or years? I’m thinking of tracking the ones that shut around the same time as ours. Did they find new owners?
This is the full list – do you know what happened to the buildings? I’d love to know.
- Auchterarder
- Balfron
- Edinburgh Dalry Road
- Edinburgh Greenside
- Edinburgh Liberton
- Edinburgh Tollcross
- Killin
- Kinross
- Galston
- Grantown on Spey
- Huntly
- Livingston
- Loanhead
- Tullos
- Turriff
* This is not to say that craft fairs are out. We are still booked in for various events in 2024.
Jane Candlish 
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