• PLEASE save our only bank in West Hampstead.

Barclays wrote to regular customers notifying us of the imminent closure of the West Hampstead branch and indicating a flurry of websites to go to for help and information.

For example, on “why we have made this decision”. When you follow that, the list of branch closures ends at locations beginning with “B”. West Hampstead Barclays is not listed, but I can attest to the fact that it was definitely not “underused”.

There were usually patient lines of clients in our branch unless you managed to skip in at a quiet time. And we often had to wait even to use a cash machine.

The real reason for closure: Barclays is squeezing the public and its workforce to make even more money. Some queries I had were most easily sorted in person, not endlessly repeated to a string of telephone operators.

Their suggested alternatives: one branch a 40-minute uphill walk in Hampstead village, or public transport to their Swiss Cottage branch, which regularly suffers muggings – even in broad daylight – at the cash machines outside; as also happens outside our local Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

If their machines malfunction those shops do not take direct action or responsibility, and when you go in to report it, if the machine has been deliberately jammed by thieves, they will have run off quickly with your money.

I am no Luddite. I do much of my banking online. However, to take this service from the public here will only cause damage to Barclay’s reputation and I hope many will vote with their feet and switch to a more caring bank – if there is such a thing.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED