Grumble Thread

[Serial_Apologist]

Message from Lloyds bank to say they're closing my local branch in November, nearest branch will be 2 miles away (I don't have a car). Thinking about it though, I don't go in that often to do something like 'business' - more to ask questions, which I shall probably find impossible via the app.

Living in London there used to be several Lloyds branches within my walking distance, two within a mile. Then they started closing down one after another, with the next nearest then left empty for 3 years, so goodness knows who paid business tax on the premises for that period, if anyone. Then two branches at a distance of 2 miles closed, just before the pandemic - one of which was then re-opened, possibly after complaints - but then shut down after a month with a notice stuck to the door saying "please go to this branch" 3 miles away - which I did, once, to get verification of what appeared a dodgy "Lloyds" email. I queued outside in the rain for half an hour for that privilege. That branch then closed down, within two weeks. The nearest to me now, I understand, is 7 miles away, in Borough Market - and this, folks, is in London. An extra annoyance or insult consists in them also shutting down the ancillary cash machine or machines attached to the premises, so that one has to go and find another one of a now also disappearing species.

[smittims]

Sorry to hear that,ff. I use my Lloyds bank branch more than I used to . Since the Post Office next door to my house closed I go to the bank to pay bills, set up standing orders etc. I dont feel comfortable with internet banking - too many scare stories. So I hope my bank stays open,although last Thursday it was eerily empty when I went in . Up to last year there was always a queue.

There's now no Post Office in Crewe, a sizeable town now huge new housing estates are being added. The decline of the Post Office from its glory days in the 1930s is a national shame, I think. Surely it should be a national service, no more expected to make a profit than the NHS, the police or the Royal Air Force. Rant over....

[Frances_iom]

try switching to Nationwide - a mutual which claims it won't close branches and from my own experience I can recommend them - you can set up a list of common payees after which you can do transfers such as electricity bills from any of their ATM machines

[Bryn]

try switching to Nationwide - a mutual which claims it won't close branches and from my own experience I can recommend them - you can set up a list of common payees after which you can do transfers such as electricity bills from any of their ATM machines

You won't catch me changing my accounts to Nationwide. Too late. They've been there for decades. My card reader display failed recently. Just popped into the local branch and a replacement was handed over without delay.

[oddoneout]

try switching to Nationwide - a mutual which claims it won't close branches and from my own experience I can recommend them - you can set up a list of common payees after which you can do transfers such as electricity bills from any of their ATM machines

The poster in my Nationwide branch only guarantees no closure until 2026 - admittedly a long time in today's world but even so not quite the assurance one might want. So far my home town has been unaffected by the mass closures, largely I think because it has always, historically, been the banking centre for the area and now that all around are shutting down it becomes the "your nearest bank is" option. Still not much comfort to the outlying settlements without adequate(or any in some cases) alternatives to use of a car, as the PO shut down started quite some time ago so that isn't an option.

[smittims]

The latest step in what seems to be 'Shut-down-Britain' is a proposal to close all railway station ticket offices; yes, even at major stations. Knowing how useful they are this seems to me utter madness. They propose to replace them with on-platform staff who they say (Ha!) will be able to provide infromation and sell tickets. I don't think this is going to work. Even if you can find such a person I suspect they won't be able to handle cash or renew railcards or give detailed information.

At worst, I fear this is the thin end of the wedge and will evetually lead to more and more stations unstaffed entirely.

If this affects you, you can go to the transport focus web site and complete an on-line consultation (not a long process).

[oddoneout]

The latest step in what seems to be 'Shut-down-Britain' is a proposal to close all railway station ticket offices; yes, even at major stations. Knowing how useful they are this seems to me utter madness. They propose to replace them with on-platform staff who they say (Ha!) will be able to provide infromation and sell tickets. I don't think this is going to work. Even if you can find such a person I suspect they won't be able to handle cash or renew railcards or give detailed information.

At worst, I fear this is the thin end of the wedge and will evetually lead to more and more stations unstaffed entirely.

If this affects you, you can go to the transport focus web site and complete an on-line consultation (not a long process).

Except it closed yesterday? Three week "consultation", not advertised in advance, nor once underway. We are all familiar with the going through the motions attitude to consultations these days but this one seems to have been more flagrantly "we'll do what we want anyway" than most.

I see that the consultation has been extended. Won't make them change their mind I suspect but will give extra publicity through news reports and increase the number of responses - 170,000 according to the BBC.
This is worrying given how much margin for error there already is with the current complex ticketing system(one reason why people use the ticket office...) Asked if she could promise that every ticket would still be available from machines or online, including the cheapest, Ms Starr responded: "I'm not going to make promises that I can't keep".
Ms Starr is CEO of the Rail Delivery Group.

[Serial_Apologist]

Except it closed yesterday? Three week "consultation", not advertised in advance, nor once underway. We are all familiar with the going through the motions attitude to consultations these days but this one seems to have been more flagrantly "we'll do what we want anyway" than most.

I see that the consultation has been extended. Won't make them change their mind I suspect but will give extra publicity through news reports and increase the number of responses - 170,000 according to the BBC.
This is worrying given how much margin for error there already is with the current complex ticketing system(one reason why people use the ticket office...) Asked if she could promise that every ticket would still be available from machines or online, including the cheapest, Ms Starr responded: "I'm not going to make promises that I can't keep".
Ms Starr is CEO of the Rail Delivery Group.

This is of course a large part of the railway workers' union's gripe as part of their negotiating deal, people should remember when the issue of pay is once more raised disparagingly, and fits in with their warnings about getting rid of guards on trains. Disabled groups have been pointing out a number of resulting problems specific to themselves, including being able to see, let alone reach buttons on ticket machines, and absence of station staff to provide ramps for wheelchair users. I already rarely see any staff at my nearest station as it is.

[oddoneout]

This is of course a large part of the railway workers' union's gripe as part of their negotiating deal, people should remember when the issue of pay is once more raised disparagingly, and fits in with their warnings about getting rid of guards on trains. Disabled groups have been pointing out a number of resulting problems specific to themselves, including being able to see, let alone reach buttons on ticket machines, and absence of station staff to provide ramps for wheelchair users. I already rarely see any staff at my nearest station as it is.

This highlights problems visually impaired people face and which don't seem to have been considered at all. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-66243143
People falling onto the tracks doesn't do anything to improve the smooth operation of rail services.
This man was "lucky" - others haven't been https://www.theguardian.com/business...tactile-paving I have no doubt that those pushing for the new arrangements will try and say that their idea of increasing human presence on the station by taking staff out of the ticket office will prevent such incidences, thus continuing to miss the point.

[Old Grumpy]

Cookie choices: most websites give you the choice to accept (all) or manage choices. The latter option often yields a list of options with buttons to choose yes/no options - so far so good. Sometimes these are only revealed after scrolling through a whole screed of guff. Once located the choice buttons are usually preset at NO - great.

Today I accessed a website (RAC) where I did not notice (mea culpa) they were all preset at YES - grr.

It should be mandatory for all choices to be at the top of the page once one has clicked on "manage choices" and all choice buttons set at NO.

[french frank]

Same every (other) year and I have told them about this before . I get an enquiry from TV Licensing asking me to confirm that I still don't need a licence. Then they give me a number of options to explain why I don't need a licence - none of which apply. I end up clicking "No TV receiving equipment or devices at the address" when they've already explained that desktop computers, laptops, phones are all included in devices on which you may not watch live TV (or BBC catch up, or or or …).

Clearly, I do have, actually all, those devices. But the reason I don't need a licence is that I don't watch TV, live or catch-up, on anything. And I'm not likely to be tempted to as I never check up to see what's on and have no interest in finding out. (The last thing that penetrated my consciousness as being televised was probably the Coronation of CIIIR - but I didn't watch it )

PS Yes to OG about cookies.

[smittims]

I'm hopefully approaching the end of a long-running complaint against TV Licensing. It's got as far as the Ombudmsan, where I've reached the Kafkaesque situation of beig told that they can't handle it until I've received a formal 'Final Response' from TVL. By refusing to reply to my complaint, TVL can therefore prevent it going further! The irony is that up till now I've been in favour of Tv Licensing in principle ( though it needs radical reform ) but I'm so disgusted by their behaviour that I wish there were some other method.

[french frank]

but I'm so disgusted by their behaviour that I wish there were some other method.

Just out of interest, what disgusts you? I have twice allowed inspectors into my house to search for a television, slightly annoyed that something as trivial as possessing a television should now be regarded as the human default. But I sigh, let them in and they show very little interest in looking anywhere. And we part the best of friends

[smittims]

I didn't want to explain the details of the complaint as it would involve putting my side of the story and not theirs, but the problem (and I suspect yours) originally arose from their over-reliance on automatically-generated letters sent out willy-nilly, which pretend to be personal letters from a named individual (often with a facsimile signature) , though there's no human input checking the accuracy of the letter nor its justification. .

[Serial_Apologist]

Problems just accrue and then again in endeavouring to renew my smartphone provider contract. Last week I had innumerable obstacles doing it online, leading to a phone conversation with the chap at Smarty speaking so sotto voce and with such a thick accent everything had to be repeated - he probably was having the same difficulties with me! - and eventually to my being unable to supply my "secret code". What secret code? My bank one, apparently, and he switched me over to my bank enquiry department, who said they would send me a reminder by post - I truly wasn't sure as to whom or what I was actually speaking and had already declined giving anything away to Smarty by phone. Should anyone, let alone a business, be asking one to divulge such things? Today the code has arrived - so that's OK then, but on contacting Smarty online I am informed I am out of time with their renewal offer. So I now have to wait until it or its successor comes up again in my emails inbox - as it surely will.