Letter: Christchurch NatWest bank closure – better humans than machines
SIR – I can’t be the only person who’s received a letter from the NatWest bank announcing the Christchurch branch closure (advertiserandtimes.co.uk, 30th March) on 16th August and advising us to conduct our banking online.
I remember a few years ago our local New Milton branch was closed due to “lack of customers” which could hardly have been the reason for, on every visit I made, there was always a queue of a dozen people or more waiting to be attended to.
This same reason has been give for the closure of the Christchurch branch which, again, I have found to be questionable having had to queue for attention sometimes up to half an hour.
The letter invites us to do our banking online. However, many elderly people do not have computers, nor are they computer literate, nor have they any immediate help around them to direct them through the necessary steps to set up or access their accounts.
In all probability, when a bank visit is needed, other tasks such as shopping or even meeting up with a friend and going into a coffee shop or cafe is arranged, thus helping to keep local traders happy and solvent.
As for bank employees who over the years have become familiar with faces – they now have to find alternative working positions.
A personal appearance at a branch and the staff get to know their customers, creating a safeguard, confidence and trust on both sides and avoids fraud and losses from accounts by hackers and gangs operating in foreign countries who seemingly are a few steps ahead of banks’ security when it comes to rifling clients’ accounts.
Being a loyal customer for over 60 years, the bank says to “move on”.
But there’s talk of “the plug being pulled”, even outer space storms hurtling from the blazing sun hitting earth and rendering the entire system out of action.
Surely this is a good enough reason to have at least some branches remaining open and human beings serving instead of machines.
On that note I rest my case!
M. Hill,
Address supplied
