Dear LPG, 

I am hoping that I can’t be the only one who has noticed that the services that we used to expect when we went to any high street shop have all but disappeared over the years.  

Even at the end of the last century, as we went around the showrooms there would be someone to ask questions of and, even though a lot of the answers the assistants would give to the customer’s questions were heavily loaded to show all the reasons why you should buy a particular product, they had some level of expertise to offer.

One high street feature, which is disappearing frighteningly fast is the bank.  I remember when they were not classed as shops but over the years the few that are left are busy trying to sell their services rather than look after your money if the adverts are anything to go by. 

When you are looking to open a new account, the bank will show you all the alternatives but make it clear that they can give no advice about what would best suit the customer in case they get blamed if it all goes wrong.   Their staff will explain all the alternatives, which are often very confusing, but for all that you will get no advice from them in case they are blamed if you are not happy with the ‘product’ that you buy.  This is what the bank account that I went to discuss opening was referred to during one of those sessions designed to help you decide what sort of account you want, and I think that the fact that it was referred to as a ‘product’ says it all.

Our English lifestyle is so full of small print that advice is something that it can be quite dangerous to give these days.  The few branches that are left for you to visit for such advice, or the telephone advisor that you talk to is likely to do a lot of talking but give very little actual advice at all.  It appears that the general opinion has taught the banks that unless they  can back it up with some form of fact, it is better to keep your mouth shut …    

TH, Bermondsey