There’s a branch of Santander in Oxford which has a cafe, ‘co-working spaces and bookable meeting rooms as well as standard banking facilities’. And this, it seems is going to be a thing, as Barclays, too, has decided to reopen branches which will also include trendy cafes (well, a Costa) and chill-out work areas.
Ironic, of course, as most of the buildings in which the sweepingly closed local banks were once housed are now cafes, restaurants and ‘Spoons. If you’ve seen the ad, Nationwide made a point of keeping its branches open when all around were axing, understanding that, whatever the internet can offer, there is still a huge call for human contact, especially where money is concerned.
If you’re of an age, you may remember that there used to be chaps (always) called ‘Bank Managers’ who knew their customers and were liked and trusted. I know, different times. We financial advisers know that what we do is all about people and relationships; something which, as we’re all discovering, AI and onlining cannot replace.
