Tithes for the bank

sir – I run a small allotments charity near Tisbury in Wiltshire. HSBC has recently imposed a £5 a month charge on the account. The income from plot holders is £290 a year, with the outgoings slightly less. We keep a reserve of between £300 and £400.

The activity level in the account is half a dozen cheques a year and a direct debit. The charge by HSBC represents just over 16 per cent of the account and will require a rent increase to cover it.

Should I start keeping cash in a tin under the bed?

Sir Jack Deverell

Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire