Bank practices or branch practices that have ceased....

gsmh

eskbanker said:

What were you in there for?

When I’ve needed to pay in a cheque where there was no other means of doing so and many other customers were queuing to withdraw cash which they could have done at the ATM. Just one example. I now pay in the odd cheque using the bank’s app, but some intransigent customers refuse to do that and want to visit a branch. 

eskbanker

It would undoubtedly be possible to continue to discuss the pros and cons of access to branch banking facilities but (a) it's not really on topic and (b) it's been done to death on numerous other threads, so probably best to let this one revert to the wistful nostalgia theme!

EnPointe

gsmh said:

BlueonBlue said:

The fact they are closing all the branches is a major PIA .

It’s interesting that three top rated banks have no branches at all - First Direct, Monzo and Starling. I think that speaks volumes about the supposed need for branches. All my life when I’ve walked into palatial branches and witnessed people queuing to do things they could have done by other means I’ve questioned the need for them. Some of them must have cost an absolute fortune to run - just for the Luddites who dislike change.

FD of course being a trading style of  HSBC  and  originally a Division of Midland Bank 

EnPointe

BlueonBlue said:

The amount of branches that have closed is monumental with more to close .

So much for customer service ...

Banks will do anything to profit if you look back through banking history it speaks for itself .

somewhat hyperbolic  given that 95 %  or more of banking can be done just as, if not more securely  by  Apps or web interfaces 

BlueonBlue

You can ask all the questions you want from a banks point of profit view .

On MSE its the customers that matter .

Some reading 
https://crif.co.uk/news-events/news/brits-lead-europe-and-the-us-in-turning-back-on-bank-branches-with-less-than-one-in-four-caring-if-there-is-one-nearby/

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/closure-of-high-street-banks-impact-on-local-communities/

ChirpyChicken

Do people even still have the ability to pay bills by bank giro credit like in the old days. Queueing up to pay the gas bill or access bill 

Eco_Miser

ChirpyChicken said:

I always seem to think of Yorkshire Bank/ Clydsdale Bank as being one of the more old fashioned banks before all the changes, their branches always seemed really dated

The Yorkshire Bank branch where I opened my first account was very old-fashioned - stone facings, high oak counter, inkwells, hand-written passbooks etc., but it was replaced twice by completely new then-modern buildings, before closing completely (over about 40 years). The branch my account was moved to was also a fairly recent build. OTOH, the now-Virgin branch still uses pay-in slips and a drop-box if you want to pay in without queuing for the cashier.

Rob5342

ChirpyChicken said:

Do people even still have the ability to pay bills by bank giro credit like in the old days. Queueing up to pay the gas bill or access bill 

It's an archaic method but there seem to be a few companies around that still let you pay that way, Scottish Power is one. 

[Deleted User]

Bit of an oddity this (I think).

Bank branches based inside a hospital. Used to visit one near me as it was closest to my work.

ouraggie

i still have an unused left-handed cheque book from Barclays. Stubs were on the right, in a wallet that opened the opposite way to normal. So good when you got to the end of a chequebook and didn’t have to balance your hand on all the stubs any more. Easier for a leftie to tear out the cheque too.