Nationwide Joins Santander in Restricting Counter Service

First Santander, now Nationwide - are banks and building societies killing off the counter service?

In November last year, customers hoping to withdraw £30 or less over the counter at Santander branches were told that they'd have to use the ATM. Now, Nationwide Building Society has told customers that it's stopping over-the-counter withdrawals of £100 or less from 7 June.

Nationwide and Santander have spun it as a move to help reduce branch queues, but a cynic might see it as:

• A prelude to reducing counter-staff levels
• Preferential treatment for better-off customers
• Bad news for those who don't like using ATMs - particularly the elderly, who are more likely to use the counter service
• Providing more potential targets for cash point muggers, pickpockets and card skimmers

On this last point, savvy thieves will know that anyone who uses a Nationwide ATM is sure to have at least £100 on their person - quite a worrying thought.

And on the subject of the elderly, a spokesman for the charity AGE UK commented, "Many older people prefer to withdraw small amounts of money for security and budgeting reasons, and would feel uncomfortable taking out £100 in one transaction...some people do find [ATMs] difficult to use and would much prefer to go into the bank."

The Nationwide has said that the counter-cash ban won't affect: branches with broken or no ATMs; customers with debit cards; customers who still use a passbook; customers with a disability that prevents use of an ATM.

Nationwide apparently implemented the measure after 92 per cent of customers asked the bank, 'What can you do to speed up the queues?' Sidestepping the obvious answer - employ more staff - the Building Society instead opted to cut a branch service that's considered valuable to many.
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