THE SNP are continuing their fight to save the RBS branch in Saltcoats. Despite the recent announcement of a reprieve for 10 of the threatened branches across Scotland, the Saltcoats branch still faces the axe, together with the Kilwinning and Kilbirnie branches.

SNP MPs, councillors and activists have been prominent among those fighting the closures.

In Saltcoats, Patricia Gibson MP and Councillors Jean McClung and Davina McTiernan have spent many hours in Dockhead Street gathering signatures for Ms Gibson’s petition against these closures, as seen in our picture on the left.

Councillor McClung commented: “Feelings in the town are running high.

“Only last year the Clydesdale bank closed its doors.

“Many of my constituents then transferred their custom to the Royal Bank, only to find themselves left high and dry by the banking sector for the second time in the course of a year.

“As usual, the older, more vulnerable members of society and those with no access to internet banking will be most inconvenienced.

“What is particularly galling is the fact that the Royal bank is now 72.9 per cent owned by the taxpayer.

“We bailed them out, and now they are bailing out of towns like Saltcoats.

“It is not good enough!”