Were Banks Open On A Saturday Morning In The 1980’S?

[Arkwright007]

I remember the Girobank at the Post Office being open, but were the major banks also open on a Saturday? Thanks

[pimplyteen]

Don't think so because the business I worked for had to send someone to the bank on Friday to get bag fulls of change for the busy Sat trading day.

[ToraToraTora]

They did go through a period of opening on Saturday mornings but I think that was more like the 90s.

[Old_Geezer]

Too long ago to recall. I'd suspect that msy have started around the time building societies were given the opportunity to be banks instead.

Lots more competition and an incentive to give service on the High Street (unlike today when they don't give a darn and are trying to get out of the High Street, and the customer can like it or lump it).

[barry1010]

I don't think so. I have found questions dating back to 2007 on Martin Lewis's site asking which banks open Saturdays and a few news reports about banks opening on Saturdays for the first time in 2008
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/bank-to-open-on-saturdays-2819430

[Togo]

"She who must be obeyed" started work in 1967 at one of the main High St Banks and they were all open on Saturday mornings. This was the case she says for at least 3 years more.

[Togo]

She says that the main reason was so that businesses that had stayed open on Friday evenings after the branches had closed could pay in the takings. Remember back then it was all cash transactions, and most people would have been paid cash on Fridays and done their shopping after work if they could.

[barry1010]

I remember posting the day's takings into the night safe in the wall of the bank on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

[ubasses]

I started in banking in 1969 and we did not open Saturdays, although I an recall going on Saturdays early 60's with my mum. Started opening again in the 1980's can't remember which year just the branch I was in at the time.

[Hopkirk]

They used to shut at 3.30 on weekdays so they could count the beans.

[barry1010]

Does anyone remember when maintaining a bank account cost money?
We had to pay stamp duty on every cheque we issued and every withdrawal - 2d, I think - and that wasn't abolished until 1971.
No ATMs and banks only open Monday - Friday 9am - 3.30pm. Overdrafts, loans, opening accounts, everything apart from paying in cash had to be done in person by appointment - time off work.

[ubasses]

Remember all that Barry, 5 shillings every time you were given a cheque book.
Closing at 3.30 sound great Hopkirk, but after that every cashier had to balance, then all debits and credits including all the cheques paid in on other banks, standing orders, foreign dept etc had to balance then input into sensamatic machines twice (once on ledgers then on statements). You could not leave until everything was finished, many a time we were still at work at 7pm and beyond.

[Peter Pedant]

yes for trading and then they stopped that
and stayed opened for admin - mortgage etc

very dawn of electronic banking
EFTPOS - electronic fund transfer at point of sale
and they charged the punter! and then wondered why it didnt catch on - the Good Old Days, how the Great and Good looked after us

[Peter Pedant]

and that wasn't abolished until 1971.
stamps on cheques went before I got a bank acct 1968
( job at Porton Down - £28 a month)

endorsing ( signing the back of the cheque if you were a payee) went in 1962 - by act of Parliament ! ( erm endorsing act)
It saved X million pounds a y -because the clerk picking up the cheque turning it over and gooping cd be costed

[Togo]

Not sure that all branches had a night safe on an outside wall, and they were for business accounts only ... I think.

[barry1010]

Yes they were only for business accounts, Togo