Have High Street banks had their day?

I uNDErSTAND the pain of those who lament bank branch closures (Mail), but this is inevitable with the likely future disappearance of cash and cheques. Other banking products are already easily and conveniently available online or by phone. The Mail’s Alex Brummer suggests banks will be forced to return to the High Street just as the major supermarket chains have been setting up convenience stores. The difference is that these smaller stores charge consumers a 5-10 per cent premium on products. The only way bank branches could be kept open or reinstated is for customers to lose free banking and be charged for getting cash over the counter, depositing cheques and receiving advice. Someone has to pay for the staff and running costs of branches, and it won’t be the shareholders.

ALAN FINLAY, London NW4.

I AM surprised my High Street branch is still open. I haven’t been inside it for seven years as I do all my business, securely, online.

JOHN COLLINS, Chelmsford, Essex. WITH further branch closures, we’ll be left with overseas call centres where overworked staff have to deal with frustrated customers who still recall being on first name terms with their bank manager. Customers attempting computer banking will fear being robbed by ruthless online criminals whom the banks and police can’t be bothered to chase. MARTIN SHERIDAN, Hampton, Middx.

BRANCH closures have forced me to change my bank three times. They tell us to use phone or internet banking, but how will I pay in cash?

E. C. HOLMES, address supplied. A BANK branch used to be an autonomous business handling loans, mortgages, investments and small business advice. This business was transferred to an area office, then a regional office and finally a national office. Branches can no longer make money so face closure. The internet is a godsend to the banks because the customers now do the work of the staff.

BERNARD RYAN, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. HIGH Street banks compete with financial firms with no property overheads. The big banks can’t afford to ignore the savings made from closing branches, even if less profitable customers are excluded. It goes against the grain to suggest government intervention to halt branch closures, but I can see no other way to protect people who don’t use the internet.