“You need four O’Levels including English and Maths to work for us” were the words of the representative of a major high street bank. This was back in 1984 at a careers open evening at school. There were at least a dozen employers on show, all with the intention of wooing us into working for them.
Prior to this, about six months earlier, a large building company came to our school and pitched to us. The company was Harry Neil, a popular house builder. Being a Roman Catholic all-boys school, with a lot of pupils already having family members working in the building industry, it’s clear why Cardinal Hinsley High School was chosen by Harry Neil. The gentleman’s pitch was matter-of-fact and very enticing… “we’re one of the top companies in the building industry… there will always be a need for new homes… we will train you to be the best… with us, you’ll have a job for life…”
Out of the two options mentioned above, my preference was working for a high street bank. Prestige and respect came to mind when I thought about bank employees: smartly dressed in suits and ties, bowler hats, long slim umbrellas and briefcases. I believed that bank employees always gave their customers excellent advice due to their astute financial acumen. As a bank employee, I’d be held in high esteem by family, friends and the community. I’d be financially stable, frugal with the weekly shop and have a sizable lump sum for a rainy day. And of course, I’d have a job for life.
“The idea of high street banking would almost be eradicated one day would never have crossed my mind at this time.”
Brian, ex-employee
In 1984, banks were present on almost every high street and you didn’t have to go searching for one. In the small town of Harlesden (London) where I grew up, there were once six places where banking duties could be carried out: TSB, Midland Bank, Abbey National, Halifax, Barclays and Natwest.
Cash was king in the 1980s. For many of people, wages were paid in cash on a weekly basis – brown envelopes filled with banknotes (with your name and clocking-in number written on the outside) were common. Dealing with cash was very physical, had substance and meaning: my dad physically paid the mortgage by cash at the bank, the electricity bill was paid by cash at the LEB (London Electricity Board) showroom, the gas bill was paid at the Gas showroom and our weekly shopping was done by cash. Many businesses would bring their cash takings to the bank sometimes on a daily basis. With physical cash moving in all directions, banks were needed. On Fridays, banks were essential as this was when many people got paid and did their banking. Even though chequebooks and credit cards were around, cash still was king and the high street bank was not going anywhere.
“… having discounted mortgages and a final salary pension were incentive benefits that shored things up.”
Jenn, ex-employee
Even bank employees thought high street banks were not going anywhere and they had a job for life. I caught up with Brian, an ex-high street bank employee to get his insights into the changes that occurred. Brian started his banking career in 1979 as a cashier. At this time most employees were cashiers. There was a enquiries department in which staff needed a good grounding in banking practices. The bank’s offering was service based and the customer was first and foremost. “Retaining and attracting customers was paramount and it did feel as if it was a job for life.” During the early to mid-eighties, there seemed to be a shift in emphasis as marketing became more and more integral to the daily routine, often to the annoyance of customers…“Can Mr X have a word before you go?” was the norm. Around the same time, the introduction of ATMs, offering basic withdrawal facilities, marked a difference in customer habits and took some of the pressure off the cashiers at the tills (there were 15 tills which would have queues of 10 people each on Fridays). With internet banking not introduced and available, the footfall throughout the 80s and 90s seemed to be consistent. Brian’s role changed in the early 90s when he was transferred to the Customer Service Centre which handled telephone calls for the six largest branches in the region. His role also included dealing with admin, cheque clearing, paper communications and deceased account admin for 50 branches. At this time, it still felt like a job for life, but Brian left the bank in 1995. “The idea of high street banking would almost be eradicated one day would never have crossed my mind at this time.”
Jenn, another ex-high street bank employee, also started out as a cashier. Her career in banking began in 1995. Whilst the salaries for clerical staff was classed as being poor, having discounted mortgages and a final salary pension were incentive benefits that shored things up. Jenn believed she had a job for life. In 2002, after years of training and covering the role of manager in different branches, she became a branch manager. Jenn’s career eventually took a turn which put an end to the job for life philosophy: she was involved in the closure of three banks and her career in banking ended in 2024. Whilst being with one company for over twenty years is not bad going, if the expectation was a job for life, this length of service could be seen as a disappointment. In regards to the closures, Jenn says “Whilst I understand the logistics and financial benefits to the company, it did seem to me the the older and less tech savvy of our customers were being left behind and we really didn’t seem to have any solution to that.”
Of course, the major change was internet banking, but I totally resonate with Jenn’s comment about the older and less tech savvy customers being left behind – it looks like they’ve been left to flap and sink when it comes to internet banking with very few alternatives. I consider myself as one of the fortunate ones when it comes to being tech savvy: during the 80s, whilst at secondary school, computers like the Commodore Vic 20 and 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad and Acorn Electron were available and I was the owner of the two Commodore versions mentioned. We also had computer studies at school which really set me up for the upcoming tech future. Coming to terms with upcoming tech wasn’t a big deal and becoming tech savvy just happened naturally rather having to learn from scratch. At the same time, I’m also fortunate to have seen the before and now… I remember when prices on grocery items were physically labelled using a pricing gun, barcodes now rule; from having a wired home telephone to a mobile phone (the unbreakable Nokia 1620 where I could only make and receive calls and play Snake) to now having an all singing and dancing iPhone; the move from physical banking, to internet banking. It feels like the timing for me was spot on for the transition and integration from the physical to the technological.
So, there is a strong possibility, in years to come, that there will be a no high street banks. If you told me this 18 years ago I’d laugh and tell you that you’re deluded! There’s a reason I mentioned 18 years ago, 2007: I’d just moved to the small town of Urmston in SW Manchester, and there were the six banks, but today, there’s just one left and that’s scheduled for closure.
Thinking back to that careers evening at school back in 1984, I didn’t pursue the opportunity with the high street bank. As for the building company, Harry Neil, that particular arm of their business went into receivership in the early 1990s. The high street banks and Harry Neil, a case of an unimaginable change and a case of an unimaginable downfall – for me, the case of the unimaginable change is the most surprising.
More retro banking memories
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