E&C Banking Facilities (Lack of!)

I'm really fed up! I have banked with HSBC since I was 18 and it was the Midland (silly old fart I hear you chorus) and I'm now too old to enjoy walking the best part of a mile to the nearest branch; especially considering how much profit they are making out of me (us). I used to go to the Newington Causeway branch, or the cashpoint at the Student Union in emergencies after that closed, but both are long gone.

Does anyone know (a) why they, and just about every other major bank, have abandoned us, (surely not the regeneration or was that a handy excuse) and (b) of any campaign to get local banking facilities restored? Sort of feel like I'm living in the banking Orkney's!

There is a HSBC in BHS, not that far up from the Elephant.

Thanks for the info Pops - where is that. The HSBC website only show branches at Blackfriars Bridge, London Bridge and Southwark Park Road for SE1/16.

The Abbey National in the shopping centre is the only bank left as far as I know, otherwise its up BHS or down Walworth Road.

KM wrote:

Thanks for the info Pops - where is that. The HSBC website only show branches at Blackfriars Bridge, London Bridge and Southwark Park Road for SE1/16.

Blackfriars branch = Stamford Street
London Bridge branch = corner of Borough High Street and Southwark Street. Just been refurbished.

mickyBoy_se1 wrote:

The Abbey National in the shopping centre is the only bank left as far as I know

What about Lloyds TSB upstairs?

Those are the two I 'commute' between James but thanks. Believe it or not, the queues at the refurbished London Bridge branch are worse now, the 'new' machines keep breaking down and there is only ever one cashier available (and she was frazzled today poor thing) hence my rant.

Isn't there a Lloyds in the shopping centre? Never been myself but was looking for one the other day & both the Lloyds helpline and website said there was one...

It's on the first floor, above Peacock's and always busy.

I've thought about transferring my account to Lloyds but just can't get my head round the idea.

Things could be worse - you could be banned from the HSBC for being too impecunious http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2055072,00.html
given that nearly every adult uses the services of a bank to manage their money, the size of the potential lobby is massive - we must all be too apathetic - otherwise how do they all get away with what is essentially daylight robbery.

I couldnt agree more- I've had no end of problems with HSBC. I got married in August and they changed my name to the wrong one (and quite an offensive one at that). They sent out cheque books and cards and then I couldn't even draw money out over the counter because I had no id in the new, wrong name.
They then kept sending replacements to the wrong branch and when I finally made arrangements to collect it from the Market Place branch in Cambridge (where I was studying), on a Saturday morning, they had changed my pin despite assuring me that they wouldn't. I actually cried in the bank I was so frustrated- it took over 2 months to sort out. In the meantime Indian call centres kept calling asking for me by the incorrect name- my husband would just say, sorry, there's no-one of that name here.
I am currently awaiting a response over my claim for charges refund. Last time I went to my branch in Piccadilly to complain about charges the guy looked me in the eye and said, 'Yeah, that's how we make our money. Can't do anything about it.'
They really are incompetent bloodsuckers.
As soon as this is sorted out I am moving banks.