Bank Branches Could Be Set For The Chop
BEFORE you know it, Britain’s once colourful and thriving high-streets will have disappeared forever, replaced by identikit thoroughfares with room only for an All-Bar-One, a Tesco Metro and a Clinton’s Card Shop.
Personally, that would do me fine – you can have a pint of luxury lager, pick up some groceries and buy a greeting card or two, just to have, in case of birthday or anniversary emergencies. What’s not to like?
Anyway, for the more discerning Briton, this destruction of the English high-street is a crying shame and according to experts, even our local bank branches are now under threat.
With banks pushing their customers towards online and phone banking, new research from Deloitte reveals that customers may have only have five years to prevent the death of bank branches. The consultants are now urging customers to use their local branches more regularly in order to stop the rot.
However, while banks are continuing to close local outlets around the country, they actually do make a profit from branches, as much as £3.2billion a year.
The Campaign for Community Banking Services estimates that an incredible 850 communities in the UK have lost all their bank branches with a 1,100 having access to just one.
Spokesman Derek French says: “If you don’t want to lose your local bank branch, you must visit it as much as possible.”
But what if you don’t have any more in your account? Should you just go in and loiter by the bureau de change for the afternoon?
What would get you in the bank?
Posted: 5th, July 2007 | In: Money Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
