HSBC Bailgate, Lincoln - Closed
by Baron Halpenny, LincsMag Editor-in-Chief.
Date: 14 November 2009
On Tuesday the 10th November 2009, the HSBC warned Chancellor Alistair Darling not to exclude it in any shake-up of Britain’s dented banking sector.
The Chancellor had in early November revealed plans to create three new banks through the forced sale of parts of Northern Rock, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland.
Weighing in, HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan insisted that his powerful group has as much right to make acquisitions as the new entrants like TESCO.
Geoghegan said: “We are not a big bank in the UK and I would hope we have the right to bid for portfolios if they become available.” Odd that he should say that because on 13 November 2009, they got a little smaller in a way.
There has been a HSBC (formally Midland Bank) presence in the Bailgate area of Lincoln for over 35 years, but the Lincoln, Bailgate branch, (correct address being: 19 Bailgate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3AW) finally closed its doors for the last time in November 2009, on of all days, Friday the 13th. Appropriate some may think.
The Official time for closure was 12 O’Clock … Noon time … though this actually went a little past. I know, because at just after twelve I was there and one of the last customers to use that branch, whose staff were friendly and helpful, and I had got to know them well over the years.
Rather interestingly, Mark Hemingway, who is a spokesman for HSBC, said regarding the closure of the HSBC branch in the Bailgate that, “it is a tourist area, but there is a Lloyds branch two doors away.” What an odd thing to say? There is also a large Natwest, not mention several other banks close to the Stonebow Branch.
Mark Hemingway refers to the Bailgate branch as “old premises”, does he mean it was a place where you saw real people that recognised and knew you? Not as is increasingly becoming the case, a bank of machines, faceless and cold.
HSBC thinks the closure of the Bailgate branch, "makes sense" because its High Street branch has just undergone a refurbishment and is "only half a mile away". Yes but they neglect to say that the Bailgate was uphill and the High Street, downhill. Also there is the issue of easy parking and access. A clear case that the customer was never put into the equation.
HSBC Bank plc is one of the original "Big 5" high street banks in the United Kingdom, maintaining a network of branches in England and Wales, with a token presence in both Scotland and Northern Ireland.
It acquired this substantial presence in 1992 when it bought Midland Bank plc. HSBC Bank plc also operates First Direct, which was itself a previously Midland-owned telephone and internet bank, in addition to this HSBC own the consumer lending brand Beneficial Finance, and the financial services division of Marks & Spencer.
I well remember the Midland Bank, and it is with fond memories, I was a Griffin Saver and always had a good relationship with the bank. I have however been finding that the “World's Local Bank” gets less local by the day and increasingly out of touch with its customers.
HSBC said that profits for the first nine months of 2009 were “significantly ahead” of last year after a record performance by its investment bank. Alas it seems, no thought has been given to its customers.
Effectively, the "World's Local Bank" has just got a little less local. This is called a desire to expand? Interesting!
