OneGuyFromBarlick

The Co-op also hit a snag recently when they bought the Somerfield supermarkets - our local one is getting less trade, probably because the Co-op prices are higher than Somerfield's were and the customers were buying on price, not quality.

I've been watching the Goldman Sachs/Muppet saga (LINK) News is that GS are trawling all internal emails for use of the word 'Muppet' as a derogatory name for some clients. It casts an interesting light on the internal working of these pariahs.

It also shows how little the bosses know what their employees are doing.

Daughter Janet told me that when she was working on risk strategy for a large merchant bank the biggest problem was that when they reported concerns to the management they were largely ignored.
Did you hear Paul Lewis yesterday talking about the complications of the new rules for pensioners? Supposed to be a simplification it has introduced a whole new slew of complications.

The scandal that I did notice on Paul Lewis's programme was HSBC forcing its mortgage customers to use a solicitor from `its panel', rather than their own solicitor, to do the conveyancing in the house purchase. The bloke that Lewis interviewed was coming out with all sorts of excuses - the best one being "They can use their own solicitor but they still have to pay for ours as well"! These bankers live on a another planet! HSBC are using `Countrywide Conveyancing Services' which is probably a similar company to the one that we ditched recently for being slow and incompetent.

Are HSBC actually using solicitors?
There are quite a number of "conveyancers" about who do the job just as efficiently (in most cases quicker and with less hastle) and are far cheaper than solicitors.
We used one about twelve years ago.

Tiz, yes, and didn't their representative wriggle when Paul questioned him.

Paul was on the money again yesterday when he reported on the insurance companies and the 'lifelong' pat insurance policies. Mind you, I don't understand yearly vets bills of £700 for a Yorkshire terrier...... I love to see people giving affection to pets but in the end it's only a dog! Does this mean I am a cruel person?

No !

Stanley wrote:es. Mind you, I don't understand yearly vets bills of £700 for a Yorkshire terrier......

You obviously don't understand vets either!!!

Wrong Catty! I understand vets but not the payment of £700 for treatment.

I think it is something like years of training they have to fund , with costs of running a practice building , staff etc , so need to recoup their costs with their charges. Perhaps like garages they could bring in fixed rate annual services ( mind you thats another topic , the £99 service in many places to me seems just to be an oil and oil filter change )

Reports today that RBS is to declare a dividend to Preference Share holders

Yorkshire terriers should be allowed on the road only if they have a valid MOT certificate!

I'm sorry to have to say that the basic reason for high vet's bills is the fact that so many people keeping pets have no 'stock-keeping' experience or knowledge. This is made worse by the fact that proprietary pet foods are made from the waste from the food processing industry. I have seen what happens in rendering plants making 'protein granules' and 'protein derivatives'. If you've got a healthy cross bred dog and you feed it on food you would eat yourself there is seldom any need for a vet's assistance. Jack gets best mince and high quality biscuit and shines like a guardsman's toe caps!
The other basic problem is that people demand perfect assurance and safety, this is good news for the insurance companies who are only too eager to cater for this. A perfect example is comprehensive car insurance. I never had this, legal minimum only. In the old days, many mill owners didn't insure for breakdown or loss of profits. Instead of this they created a contingency fund and put an annual amount in equivalent to what they would have paid in insurance premiums. Given reasonable luck this worked.

I'm getting quite worried because we are not hearing anything form the egregious Angela Knight. Does this mean that the bankers are quite comfortable with the way the restrictions and firewalls discussions are going? If so it's bad news for thee and me! Marvellous how these 'initiatives' are announced and then fade into the background.

Do you mean Angela Knight? - she announced this week that she would step down in the summer. I didn't realise that she had been a Tory MP. There was talk last year that she would get a peerage. Maybe she will now?

Talking of motor insurance, have you all heard how the insurance companies are now writing their terms & conditions in such a way that if you have any alcohol in your blood when you have a motor accident (even if below the legal maximum for driving) your cover will be invalid? Typically, they have confused it by also stating, elsewhere in their policies, that you are covered unless you are `over the legal limit'. But it's the terms & conditions that have final say. Even the insurance brokers' association is up in arms about it and demanding that the companies clarify their T&Cs and make it clear that you will always be covered unless you are over the limit. Some companies have changed the T&Cs but it remains to be seen if they all change or not. If you drive with any level of alcohol in your blood have a look at your insurance T&Cs.

I heard that on Money Box. What would we do without Paul Lewis? He's the one who should get an honour!

HSBC close their Barlick Branch on 12 July. They tell us that the Burnley branch will give us excellent service......

I'm associated with an organisation that puts a few million though HSBC each year , do you want me to try to persuade them to change minds ?

Angela Knight was a Tory MP. And a Minister in the Major Government. No surprises for guessing her Ministerial post: Chief Secretary to the Treasury....

Interestingly, she studied chemistry at University and worked in the chemical industry for some time.

I noted on another thread a few moments ago that the HSBC in Hoylake closed last year leaving the town without a bank. I fogot to mention that the 'hole-in-the-wall' was subjected to a bit of street art a few weeks back. Someone painted a bloke behind bars being watched by a black rat on the hoarding covering it. Lasted a week before it was removed, to preserve the parish's sensitivities no doubt.....

Richard Broughton

Stanley wrote:HSBC close their Barlick Branch on 12 July. They tell us that the Burnley branch will give us excellent service......

Groan........

That's my carefully laid plans screwed up

Groan........

That's my carefully laid plans screwed up

You thinking of holding it up ?

Please can I have the teak counters and doors for the Vintage Carriage Trust down at Keighley ?

We could ask Mr Branson to take the service and building on.

Richard. I was having a conversation yesterday with a lady and we were speculating what use they would find for one of the best built structures in the town. It's a lovely building and no expense was spared on it.
Pluggy, commiserations, I do hardly any counter business there now and have found a way of getting round the problems it will cause me with the least inconvenience.
For many years I have been warning of the dangers from the erosion of services in the town and the prospect of Barlick eventually becoming a dormitory town. The closure of a major bank is another chip in the core structure of Barlick. Originally it was the Midland Bank of course and if you look at the CHSC Minute Books you'll see how important it was. I can feel an article for BET coming on.....