Bankers — they’re not all bad, you know

BANKERS in general and the banking industry in particular have come in for a bad time in the past few years.

Bonuses, Libor, resignations, lack of access to finances or business expansion and mortgages: all these issues have kept the financial crisis in the headlines.

But what’s happening here in Oldham?

The Labour Party’s Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umanna, defended local bankers local bankers on a recent visit and pointed out a table of Barclays managers, singling them out for praise.

“They don’t deserve the opprobrium being heaped on the guys at Canary Wharf,” he declared.

I thus spent a morning at the Barclays branch in central Oldham, with branch manager David Booth, from Chadderton and business manager Wayne Dixon from Moorside.

I wanted to find out for myself what impact major national issues were having locally.

Mr Booth, a 39 year old back at the branch for a year having spent time in Manchester; and Mr Dixon (40), who has been looking after almost 200 businesses in Oldham for nearly seven years, were in the audience when Labour’s rising star made his comments.

Only one Barclays customer — the branch has around 20,000 accounts — has expressed an unhappiness with the current state of affairs following the resignation of the bank’s chief executive Bob Diamond.

“The customer simply said he wouldn’t be doing any more business with us until he could see how things move on. The account hasn’t been closed, though,” explained Mr Booth.

“We are finding that people trust us because we are local and we understand their issues,” he added.

Mr Dixon continued: “There has been a good deal of stability to our business presence from this branch.

“Les Smith was in post for 12 years and I have been here now for six years, so the customers and clients know they are dealing with someone who understands their needs.

“We are relationship managers, and that means a business relationship, not a cosy chat where we enjoy coffee together.”

He believes his experience as a branch manager in St Ann’s Square, Manchester, and time in Stockport where he managed 650 business clients, has given him a sound base for his current role.

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