Sad about bank closures

[CallCollect]

Another suburban bank I've got fond memories of is closing soon - one I've got a fond memory of opening an account back in 2008. It's in a sort of 'suburban high street' - ish /small shopping area.

I feel so many of the 'big 4' have closed since around 2010 - not in the city centres and larger town centres perhaps but in villages/smaller towns and suburban high streets.

AIBU to feel a bit sad about this ?

I think that will happen - fees charged for a physical appointment.

Last time I went into a branch the woman at the counter told me I should have used the paying in machine rather than going to her. There were no other customers so she wasn't run off her feet. That branch closed last year.

I find the customer service with newer banks via phone or online chat is much better than with the traditional high street ones.

My dad has been trying to open an ISA and he keeps getting an error message online. He's been through all the help chats and finally managed to get an appointment at a branch 4 hours away to talk to an actual person. I really hope they actually help him. It's been really stressful for him.

4 hours away? Wouldn't he be better opening an ISA with a different bank?

I had to go into one of the Big Four in person recently. Our branch was long closed; the branch in our nearby small city now keeps minimal hours conflicting with work; the branches in the near-ish major city are between them open three short days a week.

I discovered that the very posh suburb where the London commuters live still has a branch open 35 hrs a week. The morning I went there business was booming: retirees, yummy mummies, teenagers off school, etc. Money talks.

Bless you

Also... "banker bashing" has really tickled me

Whenever I used to go to the bank they would try to force me to do things online. One time making me download their banking app. So even they don’t want customers.

I just feel sad for elderly people who struggle online.

I've had this as well

Our local parade of shops used to be about 7/8, including a bank and building society. Both are long gone. I think it is sad. I understand why, but i also think constant automation is always a good thing.

Having just organise our mortagage, i can say that the city centre banks are teeming.

I think I know what the OP is saying.

I remember the town I moved to in 2003. Lovely place then and now. Last time I was there I had a longing to go back. To when Woolworths was there (remember buying the sixth Harry Potter there!) and Mothercare was in the shopping centre, although I had no need to go in there then. I remember buying clothes in Topshop and getting items for my first flat at an independent home place and when Greggs was just a tiny bakery on the high street …

I think when the landscape of somewhere changes the feeling is of time passing and it’s nice to preserve these things. So I do get what the OP is saying.

I get it OP. I get melancholy and nostalgic about odd things like this too. And 2008 was a magical year for me too so whenever I see anything to do with that year I get a bit melancholy. You are not alone 😊

It's very sad for those who can't do what they want online for whatever reason

I also feel sad for the elderly.

My Yorkshire Bank who I’d been a customer of for 35 years became Virgin then closed our branch and at the same time as it became really shit. After they blocked a payment to my tree surgeon for absolutely no reason I moved banks reluctantly. Best thing ever. I moved to the Halifax, we still have a branch even though I rarely use it, but plenty of others do, I see people queuing all the time when I pass.

Most of them are elderly, so for now their needs are met at least.

I more miss being able to talk to a bank employee who could consider your personal circumstances rather than just feeding your information into a computer programme and generally saying no! I had a business in the 80s and our bank manager actually came to see us at home . How times have changed

Our local branch closed and gave the number of regular users of the bank - something like 22 people. Of course it needed to shut. Time moves on and you can’t keep an expensive branch open for a handful of people.

I live in a leafy part of affluent Surrey and the banks here have all gone within the last 9 months, with the final one closing in a couple of weeks. They were all busy, the one opposite where I work had queues all day long. They will be missed here, at least.

Er..no?

To be fair they're often only open when most people are at work, it's hard to go to the bank unless on leave or whatever. I do think it's a shame as some people struggle with online banking or don't have a post office they can use to put money in etc. Ideally banks would club together and have a consortium where they hire somewhere out and all have a desk but of course wouldn't ever happen for many reasons!

Sorry quoted wrong post!

I get what you’re saying about time passing but I’m not sure I can bring myself to care about large chains closing / re-branding / merging etc. What I do value locally are our independent, traditional shops - like the butchers, the fishmonger, the local pubs. They were there in some shape 100+ years a go and I hope they’re still there for the next generation.

The bank branches I “get” in an end of an era way, but let’s face it - even 20
/ 30 years a go banking had changed and your local bank manager wasn’t a Captain Mainwaring from Dad’s Army who knew all the local businesses.

I understand the nostalgia of it but that side of the local bank branch went a long, long time a go - long before the OP is talking about.

I think some in our town who want a bank branch have maybe moved to the Nationwide as that always seems to have customers and are probably less likely to close the branch so Building Societies may have gained more customers. The post office also does some transactions as DH used that to deposit some cash for an event he deals with so for the moment our town is not too bad for that

I feel sad for the impact on the high street: if banks were closing and the space being filled with lovely shops that would be great, but it’s usually boarded up or maybe a vape shop.

I started banking online over 20 years ago, and have rarely set foot in a bank since then. When online banking started they offered generous interest rates compared to those of the pitiful high street banks. I guess the footfall has dwindled in the past 20+ years to the extent now that it’s not worth it, or certainly won’t be in the next 20 years.

Leafy and affluent.... did you just say that?