MSE News: Post office bank plan rejected

Stuart_W

Growing up in a village, I remember opening my first current account with Girobank so I could get at my money without paying bus fare!

How the world has changed though, and I do feel sorry for those caught up in change that they can't cope with or just don't want. There has to be some kind of social inclusion/community role for the Post Office - ditching any attempt to make it commercially viable. It isn't going to be and never will be now.

Paypoint would have got the renewed contract for the post office cashcard account if they'd been allowed to, and now the collect+ service is growing - an increasing network of shops allowing shop-to-shop deliveries for collection for just £3.49 for up to 10kg, or £4.99 for shop-to-home deliveries, even parcel services now seem to be competitive from elsewhere so the private sector is already able to show it can compete more cost-efficiently with no huge subsidy like the post office network receives. It is time to abandon any attempt to run the post office on a commerical basis and reinvent it with a much needed community-role for those that need it - perhaps addressing issues faced by those with no internet access as more like assisted information-points.

We can't go back 30 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bcLl0iZHYI
(I remember this like it was yesterday!)

DrSyn

1. Giro Bank was the best bank I have come across and indeed I think it should never have been sold off.

2. All the major banks have in recent years been closing many of their branches. So many infact that in some parts of the country there are villages and towns where there are no branches. In these places Post Office Banking is an alternative.

3. Some banks such as the Co-op Bank, have always had a small branch network. Post Office Banking gives them many a much larger reach.

4. I take it that many of the posters here are young, fit and have a car. Also most likely living in a large city. When you become old, have poor health, or can not move far, you will start to see the benefits of having a locall post office!

5. The old like to bank at the post office not only because it is easier to get to but they are far less likely to be mugged than at a cash machine.

6. When you are poor or on the dole, you may little money in your account. You should try getting £5.40, out of a cash machine. Try withdrawing £6.70, over the counter of Santander or Nationwide and let us know easy you found that!