Perthshire MP Pete Wishart is gunning for Aberfeldy to be the region’s first banking hub.
He has contacted UK Finance following the announcement that the TSB branch in the rural town will be closing in May.
Mr Wishart has also made the proposition to NatWest, HSBC, Barclays, TSB, Santander, Virgin Money, the Bank of Scotland and the Post Office.
Last year, the Scottish Affairs Committee, which Mr Wishart chairs, published a report on access to cash which examined the changing habits of banking across Scotland and the UK.
It found that 53 per cent of bank branches in Scotland have closed since 2015 despite half a million Scots still being reliant on cash.
Among its findings were that rural communities in Scotland were disproportionately affected.
The report also examined the BankHub scheme, which has been piloted across the UK, including Cambuslang.
The shared banking facilities, operated by the Post Office, aim to protect access to banking services for local customers and businesses.
Mr Wishart said: “Bank closures have a disproportionate impact on rural towns like Aberfeldy, where residents have much further to travel to the next nearest branch. This is especially burdensome for elderly and vulnerable customers.
“That is why it is my firm view that Aberfeldy is an excellent location to establish a new banking hub.”
The Cambuslang BankHub was set up as a pilot in April 2021.
Having proven to be very successful, there are no plans to close it.
Mr Wishart said: “Not only would this facility be a lifeline to the local community, but would also provide valuable data to banks who are desperately trying to adjust to the rapid digitalisation of the sector.”
