reduced opening hours of hsbc liphook - katy (11th Feb 2005 - 16:28:54)
I was a little bemused to read in the Herald that the HSBC bank will now only be open on a Tuesday and Friday due to "low customer use". What a load of rubbish!
I worked at this branch until 18 months ago and can confirm that it was getting busier all the time I worked there which was @ 9 months.
I believe the real reason to be a due to a severe staffing crisis for the bank in the whole Guildford area. When I worked at the site it consistently ran on less staff than it was allocated and employment laws regarding statutory breaks were constantly broken due to lack of cover from the parent branch (Haslemere).
Several extremely senior retired executives of the HSBC (Midland bank) use this site so I am sure they will make their feelings known directly - confidentiaity refrains me from using their names.
I was also advised in person by the current big cheese (Sir John Bond) that HSBC would not be making any more closures - oh dear even he can't be trusted.
I have sent off a complaint to them by e-mail (customer relations@hsbc.com ) and am awaiting a reply. Will update you once it is received but suggest you may want to do the same.
It is interesting to note they are not opening on the busiest day (Monday) - I guess this is so they can send the staff to Haslemere to cover there.
The bank owns the property so I guess if any builders out there wants to make them an offer it could be made in to another nice new house!!!
Re: reduced opening hours of hsbc liphook - Alex Cameron (11th Feb 2005 - 18:50:51)
We have a whistleblower! Can anyone else hear the black helicopters? Liphook.co.uk - the source of all your local controversy needs ;)
Re: reduced opening hours of hsbc liphook - Mike Grimes (12th Feb 2005 - 00:33:17)
I'm not quite sure why most people actually need a bank branch. I have banked quite happily, for some years now, with the online bank CAHOOT and enjoyed low cost overdraft facilities together with generous interest on credit balances (currently nearly 5%). Bank branches long ago ceased to be places to bank, and bank managers long ago ceased to be 'in your wardrobe' financial friends.
The bank branch is now a place to sell 'financial services' most of which are of comparable value to an extended warranty at a High Street electrical store. The 'Manager' (and I wouldn't mind betting that even the decimated Liphook HSBC has more than one) is now just a sales executive with no more discretion to exercise than the computer screen will allow.
