By Joe Sullivan

Copyright scotsman

The Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Bruntsfield closed over a year ago – and after months of speculation over what will take its place, it is now set to become a branch of the London-based chain after plans were approved on Wednesday. Councillors voted to approve the business’ planning permission during a Development Management Sub Committee meeting after officers recommended approval. Olivia Kekewich, assistant manager at the nearby Edinburgh Bookshop on Bruntsfield Place, felt the change would impact the local community significantly. “We don’t actually think it’s necessary. In this area, there are so many local businesses,” she commented. “So many of those are cafes and coffee shops, that will obviously be affected by it – and we’re in such a community-based area, local businesses support other local businesses. “For us, as a bookshop, it would be like a Waterstones opening in the area.” Many businesses in the area, including the bookstore, have signage calling on visitors to shop, eat, and drink locally. There is currently a Pret in the neighbourhood – which several locals said also drew significant backlash when it opened. Ms Kekewich said many residents and businesses alike had felt the impact when the bank branch closed. She said: “Every time a bank closes, banks are going to online services, and there’s a lot of disabled and older people who cannot use those facilities. “And as a business, we still need to cash money, and stuff like that. We have to go further afield to do that now.” The nearest cashpoints are each over half a mile away from the former RBS branch, with one in Bruntsfield and another at the Waitrose in Morningside. Sylvia Ackroyd, who has lived in the area for over 40 years, also felt upset at the loss of the bank, saying: “It’s been very bad losing the bank. It’s a very residential area, and folk like using banks.” She added on to say that she felt the community would be harmed, with local businesses suffering from the addition. She said: “There’s enough coffee shops in this area. And this area, I’ve lived here all my life, it’s always been a very local shopping area. “Chains come in. This is going to be another chain. It could be maybe a nail bar, or a hairdresser, or all three! “They could open it as a bank, which would be quite handy. But what happens is they come in, and the independent shops who have worked right through covid, suffer. Stay in the know when it comes to the latest news from Edinburgh and the Lothians with our daily newsletter. Sign up for free today! But not everyone in the area is opposed, with Angus Linton, the owner of the family-run W Christie butchers shop, saying he looked forward to the opening. He said: “Having a shop full of people is better than having a shop empty all year. If a shop’s there it’ll bring people around to the area, if the shop’s empty it’ll not. “I’m not bothered, as long as it’s full it’ll bring people into the area. My dad always used to say, an empty shop is a bad shop in the area.”