Businesses in Kinross are facing round trips of almost 30 miles every time they need to do their banking.
It comes after the town lost all of its local bank branches.
Now locals are calling on bank bosses to provide Kinross with a ‘banking hub’ as further cuts to services loom.
Bank of Scotland has pledged it will send community bankers to the town.
The offer is intended to compensate for the withdrawal of its mobile banking programme later this year.
But community leaders say the offer falls far short of the banking hub they need.
One Kinross-shire councillor said business people were already having to travel to larger Fife towns, such as Glenrothes and Dunfermline, both more than 13 miles away, in order to do their banking.
SNP councillor Richard Watters said: “The Bank of Scotland should be putting efforts into supporting a banking hub that meets the needs of individuals and businesses in the area.
“I counted up 62 businesses within a one-kilometre radius of Kinross town centre.
“Businesses are currently having to go to the likes of Glenrothes and Dunfermline to do banking.
“A community banker is a pale imitation of what a community bank hub would offer to an area.”
Kinross one of many towns facing loss of mobile bank
Bank of Scotland intends to stop its local mobile banking service in May.
The decision will affect Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Bankfoot, Errol, Scone, Methven, Dunning, Blair Atholl, Luncarty, Coupar Angus, Murthly, Stanley, Kinross and Killin.
Another Tayside stop in Kirriemuir, Angus, is also facing the axe.
However, it has said it will send community bankers to Kinross, as well as to Aberfeldy and Auchterarder.
It’s hoped the Auchterarder service will be based in a new banking hub planned for the town.
But it’s not clear where in Kinross or Aberfeldy the community bankers will be based.
The nearest Bank of Scotland branch for Kinross customers is Cowdenbeath.
For Aberfeldy customers it is Pitlochry.
Banking hubs offer range of services
Banking hubs offer a permanent shared space, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to everyone.
A counter service allows customers of any bank to withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments and carry out regular banking transactions.
In addition, they offer private spaces where people can speak to community bankers from their own bank for more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge.
The schemes are run by Cash Access UK and ATM firm Link.
Perth and Kinross Council leader Grant Laing wrote to them requesting their support to create banking hubs in Aberfeldy, Auchterarder and Kinross last year.
Five hubs have already opened in Scotland, including at Brechin and Carnoustie in Angus.
The Bank of Scotland says 71% of customers on the Perth and Kinross mobile bank route already use other methods, such as internet or phone banking.
However, community bankers can help with queries such as managing direct debits and standing orders, making payments (up to a limited amount), transferring money between accounts, ordering a replacement cheque book, ordering statements and closing an account.
Conversation