Unconfirmed is news that HSBC is to shut its branch in Whitchurch (in the Town Hall) in January.

More soon.

~Andrew~

Yes Andrew i heard that the HSBC is to shut in January 2010.What a shame a town with no bank what about the elderly who have no transport to go to larger branches in Andover or Basingstoke we all have to do all we can to change the decision we have already lost the parcel office we really do need the bank and hole in the wall which is in great demand.CB

Wonder if Overton will go as well?

I'd assume the ATM would remain - hopefully - as there's no other 24/7 source of cash between Overton and Andover (that I know of, and certainly not within staggering distance of the Bell).

I'm all for supporting a "keep the branch" movement (where do I sign?), but given HSBC are a private company without a sniff of social obligation (as opposed to Royal Mail, which I assume we collectively own) I'm not holding my breath for a positive outcome.

If RM can close the branch even after letters to MP's, Councilors, the PM's office etc, I doubt a foreign-owned bank will listen if the maths of running the branch doesn't add up.

Hope I'm wrong here.

On the flip side, the Newbury Building Society might do a roaring trade in new accounts. I'd rather give my money to them anyway.


Mike

Hi Mike we are singing from the same hymn sheet on this topic there was 3 banks here when i moved here in 1983.First LLoyds closed then Nat West there was a campaign then but to no avail so like you i hope for the best but fear the worst.CB

We bank with First Direct (part of the HSBC group) and we have just phoned FD to complain. We certainly need the branch as we pay in cheques quite regularly.

The guy at FD has registered my complaint I mentioned that:

1) This is the last bank in Whitchurch
2) This will affect over 4000 people
3) The next nearest branch is miles away
3) No discussion has been held with the local community or even the Town Council (AFAIK!) about this.

Apparently this should have been announced on the HSBC website but I couldn't find it.

It would be great if HSBC could at least delay the closure to allow a transition plan to be put into place, e.g.allow HSBC customers to use the Post Office counter service as they have down in other places.

I would urge everyone who uses the bank to complain in person at the branch or phone them direct.

The person you need to speak to Alison Gratton (Customer Service Officer).If you can't speak to her then speak to Roberta Jenkin (Cashier). I will be phoning tomorrow.

Best Regards,
Nick.

P.S. I'll try and post this to the "other place" tomorrow.

See:
WHITCHURCH TO LOSE ITS LAST BANK!

The campaign has started.
Start circulating the url (http://SaveWhitchurchBank.org.uk)

John

I have had a letter from HSBC which is on my website - www.sirgeorgeyoung.org.uk - confirming that HSBC plan to close the branch in 3 months time. I have set out my views on this decision and am in urgent contact with the bank

George Young

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=1 ... 0805178409

Join up to the group, get your Facebook contacts involved!

I have this morning written to Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Economic Development to ask what role HCC can play in persuading HSBC to reconsider.

Sir George, Tom, many thanks for your prompt action here. <applause>

Mike

I've complained to the HSBC complaints department. I would urge everyone else to do the same. See http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/popups/how-to-complain for details.

Speaking to HSBC they say when they decide to close the branch there is apparently should be a 12 month consultation (first I've heard of this). Apparently in situations like this senior managers can be sent in to attend community meetings and talk to councils.

When you do phone up to complain, and when they ask what you expect HSBC to do keep the above in mind. I for one would want to attend such a community meeting with HSBC.

Also don't forget to ask for a reference number for your complaint.

Nick.

What a great response - thank you to Sir George Young, MP and Tom Thacker at HCC, for the fast response! And thanks, too, to John for the campaign website.

Aside: The shared computer that 'hosts' this forum and the campaign site were overwhelmed this morning - so, sorry for the sites going up and down -- I badgered hosting provider about it and now the sites seem to be working again.

There was THIS article in the Daily Mail about HSBC (and others) shutting many of its local branches to the dismay of their communities:




Great info, nick -- I followed your link and filled in their online complaint form, too.

Here's what I told HSBC:


~Andrew~

I WILL MOVE MY TWO ACCOUNTS THERE TO NAT WEST.

hi all is there any chance of a petition for the residence of Whitchurch that dont have internet access could sign maybe outside bank at weekend what do you think.CB

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sav ... -hsbc.html

Here's the link to the online petition - please forward this to friends, relatives and colleagues who live in and around Whitchurch to sign. This will then be sent to HSBC. It takes a few seconds, only your name is publicly visible as a signatory. Your email address or other information you choose to provide is NOT made public. Please add if you are an HSBC customer - they should listen to us!

Cheers

Mike

Sadly we are becoming an ever less sustainable and environmentally-friendly small town which is going to be a huge blow to Green Aware 2010 in Whichurch. With the current restrictions from the Mail Office, Dog owners, Allotment holders, and now BANKS - The town is literally driving people away and raising its carbon f...ootprint by the week Regretably without a huge fight it looks like the well used AGM will be the next "Off the Wall" event for Whitchurch - What a load of bollards!

Good insights - and great references to local things!!

'Well used AGM'...that's priceless (pun intended)!!

Thankfully, AGM has 'annual' built in so it can only be used yearly.

I just had this generic email back from HSBC this morning:


~Andrew~

I worked for HSBC Bank for 30 years; 5 of them I was Branch Manager at Andover, and my good lady wife, Alison works as the cashier at HSBC Whitchurch, where she has been with Bobbie for nearly 10 years now.

I was always told by the 'powers that be' that HSBC would never close a branch when it was the last remaining Bank in a community.

Since Bill Dalton left as CEO of the UK operation, the management style has become autocratic and cost driven. Customer service is a dim and distant memory.

Alison, and Bobbie were told that the Bank had decided to close as the lease was to expire in January 2010. We found our very quickly that this is not the case and it will not expire until November 2011.

During he last couple of months, money has been spend on new carpets and a new security camera system. The total incompetence of this organisation never ceases to amaze me.

Letters sent to customers of Whitchurch have been sent out under the name of poor old Bill Gray who is HSBC Branch Manager at Andover and he will get a load of grief which he can do without.

I can almost guarantee that the cash machine will be removed, as the bank will not want to be responsible for replenishing stocks remotely, or paying rent on an empty building!

I could ramble on for ages, if anyone wants to contact me on the subject please email;

andygratton1955@googlemail.com

Incidentally I have been retired from HSBC Bank for 5 years now, but have a lot of good friends and contacts within the organisation.

Had a chat with Alison today.

Some pointers:

The ATM will go with the bank
The ATM is heavily used - they refill it often, and it does run out more often than is normal.
They can tell when the Tescos ATM is out of order, as the HSBC one gets a hammering.
The Tescos ATM is much smaller in cash capacity than the HSBC one.

In other words, if the HSBC ATM goes, we can expect the Tescos one to be empty on a daily basis.

Somerfield only give £50 max in cash out with a purchase. If demand increases, chances are they will need to limit this as either a policy or practicality - i.e. running out of cash to give change with.

The Whitchurch branch is not run from or is a sub-branch of Andover. They have nothing to do with Andover. Alison & Bobbie live in Whitchurch and only work the 3 days the branch is open here.

They are managed by an HSBC section that controls many small 'service' branches, and have not seen the person who is technically the 'branch manager' in a long time.

Cheers

Mike

There is now a direct link to the petition and a downloadable poster for displaying in windows on the website.

SAVE WHITCHURCH'S LAST BANK

Hi all,

There looks to be a goodly amount of activity going on around the HSBC closure form a number of people - web forums, web sites, petitions, FaceBook group, posters, HCC movements etc.

This is great to see - from grassroots to our MP, people getting motivated.

Should there be a centralised effort to collate and share information so the most up-to-date info is to hand? also a group co-ordinating any action needed? I'm thinking of the physical (it would be rather silly to have two groups gathering signatures on Saturday am, for example, or making representation to HSBC) as well as the electronic.

Also organising public information - e.g. getting the word out to the hundreds of commuters going through the station (handouts, signs - need organising, making, then manning)

While the various web forums and websites are going from strength to strength, I don't kid myself that they currently only reach a few hundred people, and then sporadically. There's a much larger number out there who are effectively offline.

Any suggestions on how best to do this, if there is any benefit in doing so?

Should there be a public meeting in the GNC/Parish hall ASAP to call for volunteers? If so, who's best to chair? Vince as mayor? There should be some strong community leadership here, this is probably the biggest thing to potentially impact residents and community group's day-to-day lives (the closure of the sorting office having seemed to pass with remarkably little fuss - but then we haven't had to collect a parcel yet).

Cheers

Mike

I believe the bank closure topic is on the agenda for Monday's town council meeting.

~Andrew~

IMO the Town Council would probably be best to oversee this, being 1) elected, 2)
being non party political and 3) having an interest in the property.

John

Agreed (hence my suggesting Vince as chair).

Just add worker bees? I'm sure there would be a willing supply. that's Monday night's entertainment sorted then

I am the daughter of Alison Gratton who is currently a member of staff at the Whitchurch branch. She is very concerned for her elderly customers as am I, what are they going to do? These customers have been loyal to the bank for many years and this is what they get in return. Mum has always said to me that she has enjoyed going to work, as has Bobbie, as they feel their customers are friends to both of them and not just a face in the crowd.

It is the elderly and disabled that will suffer the most Alison and Bobbie are part of our community and are always willing to help young and old residents. we need to organize a sign a petition exercise outside the bank.As for internet banking my father is 87 deaf ;bad eye sight how could he possibly cope with the internet he couldnt even manage to work a mobile phone CB

Hi,

Confirmed: the full town council will discuss the HSBC bank closure at their meeting on Monday, which starts at 7:30pm. It's item 6(iii) on their agenda.

The meeting's agenda is HERE.

~Andrew~

I thought that I had posted an entry on this thread between half-term grand-parental 'duties' on Wednesday. I must have done something wrong, proving that the elderly have trouble with the internet.

If no-one else is producing a petition form on paper, I can do that, but not as a separate exercise, integrated with this excellent online campaign.

I have mobilised the relevant Borough Council Officers to intercede with HSBC.

I have also told HSBC that I will close my personal account with them if this happens.

Curiously, HSBC has sent a letter to a voluntary organisation whose account I handle saying that they are sure we will find the Branch in Castle Donington very satisfactory in future. Apparently they are closing the Branch in Melbourne, Derbyshire. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Easily confused with Whitchurch, Hampshire, perhaps ours isn't closing after all.

Keith

Keith - you have pm

How about a 'Room 101' petition saying 'Don't close Whitchurch branch, close Overton's'?
HH

Rumour has it that an HSBC manager - a gentleman in a tie and suit - was spotted in the bank today fielding the concerns of a number of customers, including apparently a former well known TV presenter.

Nick.

I wonder if he was the one who ordered that the Save this Bank notices were taken down

John

Posters available for display in windows and Petition which is gathering momentum are here:
SAVE WHITCHURCH BANK

Good to see so much support for Mum, Bobbie and the Whitchurch community, if I can do anything to help please let me know.

er...as the building is owned by the council, where on the frontage can a sign be put that HSBC cannot take down?

Anyone on the council or budding property lease terms experts know? HSBC shouldn't be able to stifle public information like this if it doesn't breach their lease privileges.

I had a nice call from Bill Gray, the manager of the HSBC in Andover this afternoon. He confirms that he has no power over the decision to close the branch as this was made by more senior levels of management.

He said he and his staff at the Andover will do everything they can to help HSBC customers, and they are open 6 days a week to help.

He very kindly gave me the address of the HSBC Regional Director (the same gentleman who replied to George Young) who is responsible for the branch as I understand.

The name and address are:

Jos Robson
Second Floor
Midlands House
Feacourt
West Way
Botley
OXFORD
OX2 0PL

I will be writing to Jos to explain my concerns and see if we can get one or more senior managers down to talk to us. Feel free to write as well - the more the merrier! *:)

Rgds.,
Nick.

There is now a hard-copy Petition available.

Copies are available by download from the website:
SAVE WHITCHURCH BANK

The online petition has already beaten the 100 mark

If anyone wants hard copies of the petition let me know and I can deliver them locally.
Otherwise - and yes I know its short notice - they can collect copies in the Bell in about 15/20 minutes time

Mine's a Goddards.

John

I've discovered this pressure group called Campaign for Community Banking Services; their website is http://www.communitybanking.org.uk/index.htm.

Taken from their home page:

"The Campaign for Community Banking Services pressure group is a co-ordinating body for national organisations representing sectoral interests adversely affected by the closure of local bank branches, particularly of the last or only bank in a rural or urban community. Hundreds of communities have lost all their banks, hundreds more will do so in the next 5 years.

The principal concerns are the impact of closures on :-
Access to Financial Services
The economic cost and inconvenience to small businesses, the elderly, the disabled and others of having to use alternative banking locations/facilities; and

The social cost of excluding low-income consumers from mainstream financial services : exacerbated by the absence of a community based banking presence.

Sustainability of Communities
Bank branch closures contribute to commercial decline of communities as better off consumers change their purchasing habits along with the need to travel further afield for banking services, businesses close, re-generation is rendered more unlikely and start-up finance for local business becomes more difficult to obtain.

The Environment
Actions taken by consumers to overcome the problems caused directly and indirectly by bank branch closures contribute to environmental damage, for example, through increasing motor vehicle usage."

Community Action

From the Campaign for Community Banking Services - some advice on what to do when a bank is threatened with closure. In particular, it seems petition signatures should be restricted to genuine, actual customers of the bank to carry weight.

http://www.communitybanking.org.uk/community.htm

82 signatures in two hours this morning


This petition is a collective howl from the community, a unifying force. It has to be simple to catch everybody's attention and get their signatures in the middle of their busy schedules.

Genuine, actual customers of the bank should write separately (or log a complaint on-line). In my case, I have said that the Whitchurch Branch is the last reason for continuing to bank with HSBC.


That's just what is needed.
Keith

For those of you wishing to write to Jos Robson; 'he' is actually a she.

Reminder - it's this evening.

~Andrew~

The petition is well on its way today i collected 120 more signatures from users of both bank and ATM you cant believe or maybe you can the comments from residents of all ages about the news the bank is to close i also suggested they send a letter to address of mrs jos from oxford about their comments to why to keep the bank in Whitchurch.John may i have more petition sheets please.CB

Wow, that's fabulous Christine, well done!

Just spoke to Mum on the phone, she said how greatful she was for Christine going out and standing in the cold all day collecting signatures. Good to see that you got so many, well done. Hope the town hall meeting goes to plan.

hi Rachel im back tomorrow at 1 its really easy customers are so upset by the decision to close the bank they come and find me im just 1 of many doing our best to keep a crucial service to our community it will be tragic for our town if we just gave in without a decent attempt to over turn this decision.Some say im wasting my time and energy i tell them that defeatest attitude is what the powers that be are hoping forThanks for your support Chris

Make sure you wrap up warm, I would love to come and help you but I work 9 to 5 in Goodworth Clatford. If I can be of any help please let me know. xx

Hi all,

We had a good meeting tonight where the Town council got 100% behind the 'Save The Bank' initiatives, endorsing both the website and petition. What we discussed was the need for a unified strategy toward media engagement and ultimately the approach to HSBC. There is a meeting Tuesday 3/11 to flesh this out, and we'd really love help from people with the following areas of expertise: media relations, PR, and corporate responsibility - particularly if you work in the finance industry and know what will get us traction here.

If you work in any of these fields or know someone who does, please get in touch ASAP. If you can't make the first meeting, then don't worry, we can use all the help we can get here - this is just the beginning.

Cheers

Mike

It was great last night to see everyone pulling together for a unified approach - our Councillors are to be applauded. Individuals, businesses, organisations are all affected in different ways, but their aims are the same - the need for local banking services and working together will be the most effective strategy.
It was also good hear how the petition is going from strength to strength in the Town.

As well as returning completed petition Forms to the address supplied, the Town Council also agreed that they can be left at the Town Hall if that is more convenient.

SAVE WHITCHURCH BANK

Just updating everyone one todays MRS B;s petition progress.45 more signatures due to rainy condition no one about in the puddles.Gave posters to Clacys Mannings and basically anyone who had a window that could be viewed from the road.I also sent petition sheets to Albrights Rising Fives White Hart they are going to return them ASAP over to you BOYS

From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/articl ... -town.html

In May, HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan said the economics of running a major branch network 'no longer stack up', raising fears for about 450 of its smaller branches that have been renamed 'service points'.

Typically, these are rural or suburban branches that open only part-time and offer limited banking services. Many are last branches in town.

Despite persistent rumours that these 'service points' are under review, HSBC said it was 'absolutely not the case'.

The bank said: 'If we do decide to close a branch, we always try to leave a fee-free cash machine and we offer assistance to customers in how to use telephone or internet banking.'

This may be the best outcome. Not perfect and won't be the first option (fight like tigers) but if both the branch and cashpoint go it will not be good.