Forum Topic

South Ealing to lose last Bank

Barclays are to close the South Ealing Branch after years of promises that they would not as all the other banks and other local Barclays branches have gone too.So much for caring, listening and as Barclays like to portray thems selves - personal Banking.All customers are advised to become a number at the always overcrowded Ealing Broadway branch.However they will not be compensating customers in the cost of time to get to Ealing Broadway or the time queuing or the cost of getting to this branch.As South Ealing is always reasonably busy and about the same now as it has always been,  it is hard to believe that it is not viable.Clearly Barclays have no regard whatsoever for small customers and local customers.So for local people, what Bank now?

Anthony Waller ● 4109d20 Comments

Barclays have made no effort to consult with its branch customers.  The cash point has queues day and night.The run down of South Ealing road is indicative of a clueless council which is not enforcing planning properly and allowing detrius, litter, poor standards and the wrong kind of shops.A blind eye is turned to poor multiple and corporate landlords who are simply raping the area with overcrowding of flats and overhigh rents to businesses.CPZ parking and not enough stop and shop facilities has not helped.The sad thing is it could be really good if a strict set of guidelines were imposed for shopfronts and incentives to do so.Some shops have made great efforts in presentation and it makes a difference. But the cause is obviously slovenly landlords and a complete lack of civic pride.Barclays going could well be the catalyst for complete decline. This will even have an effect as far away as Northfields which also lost it's local banks and took years to recover.

Anthony Waller ● 4100d

Once when I was doing some research on the Ealing Park Mansions block in which the Midland was located I had occasion to look at the layout of the shops and flats as they were built around 1927. The bank has been designed into the original plans for the block with the "vault" marked out on the original 1927 plans submitted to the Corporation of Ealing as it was then. It lasted for 80 years in the same spot before technology rendered it unviable.

Neil F. Weber ● 4101d

HSBC (Midland Bank) since time immemorial closed a few years ago (perhaps three? I am not sure about the timeline).

Neil F. Weber ● 4101d

Have there ever been other banks in South Ealing?

David P Archer ● 4101d

Having said all that about South Ealing shopping street I nevertheless think that it is a tragedy that we are losing the Barclays Bank Branch there on the heels of the HSBC branch that closed a few years back.

Neil F. Weber ● 4101d

To me the Tesco opening in Ealing Green is a good thing. A large shop (comprising) two former shops that has stood vacant for some time is about to be used again. Surely a good thing? The Barclays closure in South Ealing is symptomatic of something else, not only was it recently robbed, however the shopping area is in decline. People who would use a Barclays Bank are, quite simply, loath to go out onto the "high street". From the park opposite South Ealing tube station down to the cemetery on Clayponds Lane and further south there is an endless display of night-time public drinking. There are three betting shops (also periodically robbed), three mini-cab companies and an endless array of run-down shops and questionable take-aways. The problem is not Barclays, the problem in the shopping areas is the non-enforcement of minimum wage, basic hygiene, business opening hours, illegal letting of commecial space as accommodation (I have heard of six people to a room) and a lack of the policing of immigration.

Neil F. Weber ● 4102d

Perhaps  energy should be put into campaigning against Barclays' closure rather than worrying about Tesco's opening in Ealing Green?

Simon Wycombe ● 4102d

A wander around South Ealing led me to the conclusion that the area is in a sad state of decline. Old pallets outside the newsagents on the corner of Airedale Road, dumped building refuse  besude the paintshop on the corner of Temple Road, endless so-called convenience shops with a pitiful array of ageing food whose whole business is centred around the sale of cheap alcohol and expensive cigarettes, and that is during the day. At night the nocturnal economy comes into its own with all sorts of strange characters standing around on street corners making endless phonecalls. It comes as no surprise that this is the second bank to give up on the local area. Many of the newer businesses are cash only so the need for a bank branch shrinks.

Neil F. Weber ● 4104d

I think you'll find that the planning laws put petrol stations and supermarkets in the same grouping meaning you don't need to get planning permission to change from a petrol station to a supermarket  (or add one to the other).

Neil F. Weber ● 4107d

The bus stop can be moved, as it has several times. They are beginning to open 'little'' ones, although the Hanger Lane one may be because of the petrol garage attached.

Simon Wycombe ● 4107d

I would put my money on pne of:a) another cafeb) a purveyor of fried chickenc) another betting shop.

Neil F. Weber ● 4108d

Simon Wycombe suggested:" Would be great to have a little Waitrose there. That would improve the area"Aside from the fact that there's a bus stop direclyoutside which would make unloading impossible, there'sa Sainsbury 100 yards opposite on the other side of the bridge, and Waitrose aren't particularly known for their convenience stores.But apart from that.michael adams

Michael Adams ● 4108d

"May solve the Tesco problem?"What is the Tesco problem? And what would solve it?A Waitrose would be good anywhere imo.

Gerry Tan ● 4108d

May solve the Tesco problem?Would be great to have a little Waitrose there. That would improve the area.

Simon Wycombe ● 4108d

Anthony Waller pointed out"As South Ealing is always reasonably busy and about the same now as it has always been,  it is hard to believe that it is not viable."It may be viable, but as far Barclays is concerned its simply not as profitable as offering services to Russian oligarchs and their ilk or taking a commission on foreign exchange trades worth billions every day.Even after paying all the fines.Counter service at the Ealing Broadway branch, like many others has all but disappeared - there seemedto be only two general positions apart from foreign exchange allowed for after the re-design. The remainder is taken up with ATMs and bill payment machines.Just because some/many people are happy with onlinebanking doesn't that mean that everybody is. Or will bewilling to upgrade their software and browsers on a bi-ennial basis simply in order to still be able to accesstheir accounts. Never mind renew their TV Licence online.However from the banks perspective online banking is far cheaper to operate, and as with doing awaywith the counter service, all they're interestedin is their own bottom line, their shareholders.As indeed they're obliged to do by law. Any social responsibility towards those left behindis solely the province of the PR and Marketing department and their advertising agency, and that's about it. michael adams...   

Michael Adams ● 4108d

Can also recommend First Direct.

Penny Crocker ● 4108d

Simple. Don't bank with Barclays. I removed myself some years ago and have been banking happily with the Co op since then. Most transactions are done on line. Very pleasant and helpful people answer the phone quickly if I ever need advice. On the rare occasions I need to visit a branch, the one on the Broadway never has a queue

Maire Lowe ● 4109d

To be honest, the only time I ever need to go to a bank is when I have a cheque to pay in so I don't really need it these days as I can manage my finances online. However, I agree with the original posters' comments about Barclays portraying themselves on the latest TV advert campaign as a people's bank - clearly not the case. Last week, a friend of mine needed to see a personal banker at Barclays in Ealing Broadway and had an eye water 2 and a half hour wait. That's just not on in any way, shape or form...

Bud Richards ● 4109d

'tis the way of the world as more and more people move  online banking and payments.he last bank went from Hanwell some years ago, followed by Northfields.I have now moved to a combination of online and current account with a building society. The service is quicker and far better.The Post Office with its endless queues simply does not appeal.

Nigel Brooks ● 4109d

Large banks are closing many of their smaller branch premises.  Is there an alternative smaller and more local domestic banking system of offices? Do post offices and sub-post offices offer basic banking for domestic customers?

Gerry Tan ● 4109d