The Queen of smiles
Like many Dumfries Courier readers I was saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and was interested to see the many archive pictures now circulating of her visits to the region down the decades.
From laying a wreath at the Robert Burns mausoleum in the 1950s to the opening of the then new general hospital at Dumfries in the 1970s and many more recent visits, she brought out goodwill and smiles from those around her.
In my experience she always had an ability to set just the right tone to reflect the occasion or event she was attending.
It was inspiring, but came as no surprise, whilst carrying out my Scotland Office duties during the last fortnight to witness the warmth across the country in which Her Majesty was held.
I believe King Charles has the experience, knowledge and ability to take our constitutional monarchy forward and I wish him well in his role as head of state.
Bank hub progress
A down side to the increase in online banking has been the loss of many bank branches, particularly in smaller communities across our largely rural region.
One of the towns where I’ve raised public concerns is Kirkcudbright, which, apart from the Post Office, has largely been left without face-to-face banking services.
I’m delighted that the town has been recommended as a location for a shared pioneering ‘banking hub,’ which will offer easy to access services from a purpose-designed office.
A five-day-a-week counter service will be available together with a private meeting room where customers can arrange appointments with staff from the partner banks.
I plan to monitor progress with the project and welcome efforts to identify suitable premises in the town, available for lease, and a willingness to involve community representatives.
Bridging PO gap
I am maintaining a dialogue with the Post Office nationally over the planned closure next month of their branch within the Spar supermarket at Dumfries Whitesands.
The move, caused by the resignation of the current operator, will bring inconvenience to regular customers and visitors.
There has been some limited success in relocating branches elsewhere and I am impressing on the Post Office the need for a service, close to car parking, within the town centre area.