tim2 Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 I was informed today that my HSBC branch was closing. To be honest I'm surprised it's lasted this long and I can't complain as I haven't been in it for more than 10 years. It's another example of how the high street is changing and almost disappearing. Retail and banking are disappearing online, parking is expensive and difficult, companies don't even need to have offices anymore. Could one solution be to revitalise town centres by encouraging people to move back in to live there? I have noticed in Spain that towns and cities are still vibrant because they have so many people living in apartments - needing local shops, cafes, restaurants. Maybe in this country it wouldn't appeal to families, but apartments for young people, and older couples, may be attractive if there are facilities on their doorstep. just a thought. Otherwise we are just going to see more ghost streets and boarded up windows. "I am the avenging angel; I come with wings unfurled, I come with claws extended from halfway round the world. I am the God Almighty, I am the howling wind. I care not for your family; I care not for your kin. I come in search of terror, though terror is my own; I come in search of vengeance for crimes and crimes unknown. I care not for your children, I care not for your wives, I care not for your country, I care not for your lives." - (c) Jim Boyes - "The Avenging Angel" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 12 hours ago, tim2 said: I was informed today that my HSBC branch was closing. To be honest I'm surprised it's lasted this long and I can't complain as I haven't been in it for more than 10 years. It's another example of how the high street is changing and almost disappearing. Retail and banking are disappearing online, parking is expensive and difficult, companies don't even need to have offices anymore. Could one solution be to revitalise town centres by encouraging people to move back in to live there? I have noticed in Spain that towns and cities are still vibrant because they have so many people living in apartments - needing local shops, cafes, restaurants. Maybe in this country it wouldn't appeal to families, but apartments for young people, and older couples, may be attractive if there are facilities on their doorstep. just a thought. Otherwise we are just going to see more ghost streets and boarded up windows. It is happening in Leigh , on the site of our old train station , now a car park , planning for flats , couple of years back corner shop then offices turned into flats , problem is lots end up with asylum seekers in them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my missus Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 ours in wigan has put a stop to withdrawing money you can put it in but you can't have it back. Through the fish-eyed lens of tear stained eyes I can barely define the shape of this moment in time(roger waters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrian Fanatic Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 On 09/02/2021 at 08:55, tim2 said: I was informed today that my HSBC branch was closing. To be honest I'm surprised it's lasted this long and I can't complain as I haven't been in it for more than 10 years. It's another example of how the high street is changing and almost disappearing. Retail and banking are disappearing online, parking is expensive and difficult, companies don't even need to have offices anymore. Could one solution be to revitalise town centres by encouraging people to move back in to live there? I have noticed in Spain that towns and cities are still vibrant because they have so many people living in apartments - needing local shops, cafes, restaurants. Maybe in this country it wouldn't appeal to families, but apartments for young people, and older couples, may be attractive if there are facilities on their doorstep. just a thought. Otherwise we are just going to see more ghost streets and boarded up windows. I've thought for quite a while that town centres could be converted into living accommodation, in older places some of it probably started that way before it become retail space. The way things are heading, the only things open in town centres will be places that you have to attend, such as hair dressers, so why not look to other uses 100% League 0% Union Just because I don't know doesn't mean I don't understand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckn Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 I haven't been into our town centre bank for many years. I deposited one cheque in through the local Post Office last year and that was an exception. Not sure of their purpose for personal banking these days given the branches seem to have almost have no local authority. As long as there's somewhere for exceptions, e.g. our Post Office payment in then that's fine for personal banking. "When in deadly danger, when beset by doubt; run in little circles, wave your arms and shout" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 The problem round here, or used to be, pre lockdown, was the number of cash businesses - amusement arcades, slots.bargain shops, taxis, etc with no other way of paying in cash at the one post office in the town with concomitant queues and delays. . Cashless, tokens etc gradually and slowly taking over but. slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graveyard johnny Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 2 hours ago, my missus said: ours in wigan has put a stop to withdrawing money you can put it in but you can't have it back. sounds like one of our wedding vows see you later undertaker - in a while necrophile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun mc Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 My sister works in a high street bank. They reckon they have gone as far as they can go with converting transactions to internet banking. There are some that use the bank as social interaction - they are in several times per week. They will never convert to online Being in/near to a tourist area, there was the need for a lot of businesses to pay in a lot of cash. Many of them will be closed now or only doing a small amount of trade mainly online, or click n collect and its cashless I believe that transaction charges and rental of cashless machines were prohibitive for small value transactions, but now new pieces of kits are coming out on much lower cost and less tie-in to a rental agreement. So cash will become less and less of a part of a banks operation in 'normal' trading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedford Roughyed Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 With the best, thats a good bit of PR, though I would say the Bedford team, theres, like, you know, 13 blokes who can get together at the weekend to have a game together, which doesnt point to expansion of the game. Point, yeah go on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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