That was where I was going, have the misfortune to be a customer. Local branch of Nat West now has only one person not on the three tills and the rest of customer help has been replaced by wall to wall ATMs.
Haven't you noticed that every facet of branch operations is being replaced by machines? I read recently that most of the High Street banks are aiming to halve their number of branches in the next ten years, quicker if they can get away with it. Apparently it was one of the big problems with Lloyds/TSB once they'd been bailed out and they have had to rescind their promise to keep open 'the only bank in town' they had previously made...
Always pictured you as an old fashioned kind of banker. I can't remember the last time I went into a bank for routine business. Went into Handelsbanken a few months ago as I had heard it was good and I'm sick of the fact that 25 years with my current bank, always in credit, gets me no benefit whatsoever. Very disappointed - although you get a real named person looking after your business, they want £25 a month for the privilege and don't offer anything different from the high street banks for that. They waive the fee if you have your mortgage and £100k with them. Also seems to be run on a kind of franchise basis, which didn't inspire confidence. Bit seedy, all in all.
Old fashioned banker yourself! Because these bastards have no shame whatsoever I'm hardly surprised The Islamic Bank of Britain has 83% non Muslim clientele. http://www.gulf-times.com/eco.-bus....ayan-bank,-serving-muslims,-non-muslims-alike Only ever had an Islamic bank account once many years ago when in Africa and Standard Chartered wanted ten grand to open an account which I didn't have. Religion aside it was the most efficient and transparent bank I've ever used 10 out of 10. As for Islamic banks in UK however I'm not so sure as UK banking practice has possibly infected them too.
Islamic banking is really interesting. Stressing that currency has no intrinsic value of itself can only be a good thing. And when you get your head round profit sharing and joint ventures as an alternative to interest it makes some sense, as does the clear division of assets between depositors and shareholders. And then I remember BCCI.
