Spanish practices and the Abbey habit

Thought Woolworths was the last big name to go? Wrong! The Spanish banking giant Santander is taking a bag of castanets to the High Street names of Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley. In a flourish of flamenco style dancing, the banking names will be attending the last dance for British brands. From now on it will be Sun-Tun-Dare!

Am I upset? Not really. It's just the way things are. I doubt very much that customers will see much change other than bright red logos. Banking is now a global phenomenon. It doesn't matter if it is Spanish or British or whatever. We are told we need banks of this size in order that we can get the service we require. So I am resigned to it all. That is, at the moment.

However, I may wake up tomorrow morning thinking, "Hey wait a minute, do I want this?" and the answer may well be NO! The only way we are going to get back to any semblance of local banking, with local people knowing about local needs is if we demand it. Maybe Mr.Bradford and Mr.Bingley may not take it on the chin. There is talk of splitting the business interests of retail banking and investment banking, which is still no more than vague discussion.

Ordinary customers of banks should speak up. We need a voice that is demonstrably more assertive than the present set-up of FSA lackies and the badger look-a-like in No 11. If this credit crisis and political fall-out lead to anything, surely consumer power is to be part of it.