THE National Westminster Bank and the RBS are planning to close the Sandiacre and Stapleford branch of NatWest from July 25 this year.
This situation makes my blood boil. The organisation involved admits that once they close it, the nearest NatWest branch is going to be over three miles away in Beeston.
The bank says that local people in Sandiacre and Stapleford can use the local post office. How nice. Fancy talking about all your personal finances with a post office clerk?
When will the banks understand that the public likes to use local branches? A face-to-face situation with the bank that you will never get by looking at a post office employee through the grille at the local post office.
About four years ago there was a very busy branch of NatWest at Hucknall, with people queuing out the door. I should know, as I used it along with a lot of other people. What did NatWest do? They closed it down!
I have also used the Eastwood branch and would vouch for the kindness and courtesy shown, especially when I thought I had lost my cheque book and needed a replacement. I cannot see the local post office dealing with that.
Of course you could always go into the Nottingham City Centre and stand in the long queues there.
So come on NatWest, think less of your profits and more about the public. It might help all those people in Sandiacre and Stapleford from having to tramp over three miles to their nearest branch after July 25.