As from Monday, November 29 our Nationwide building society at 92 High Street is reducing its opening hours. With the growth in online banking, which mushroomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nationwide is investing more in its digital services as a result.
The Rye branch will open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but will soon close on Tuesdays and Thursdays when it appears “the branch is typically quieter”.
The building society however are keen to reiterate that they remain committed to their branches by renewing their promise to maintain at least one branch in every town or city they are currently in until 2023, a promise they are keeping.
As an alternative to an in-person branch visit you could consider using their banking app. If you need help getting started just go to nationwidedemo.co.uk. If you have any questions about the changes in opening times you can contact the branch manager, Adam Millicent, on 0345 266 0427 or email the Nationwide on openinghourqueries@nationwide.co.uk.
You can also see details of the Rye branch for the latest information and see more details on why and what they are doing.
What happens after their promise ‘expires’ in 2023 is anyone’s guess.
Image Credits: Nick Forman .
Once again we are at the mercy of banks/building societies and left with no choice. Rye has lost every single bank and now Nationwide is making life even more difficult. I know many people who have no wish to bank online for various reasons and what happens if you need cash (as in small change)?
After a recent visit to HSBC in Hastings I discovered that it has removed all its bank tellers so there is now no way to get small change. I was assured that the bank kept the Post Offices fully stocked with change but have you tried getting it from Jempsons PO? When I visited Jempsons, Peasmarsh this week to pay in a cheque through the cumbersome “envelope” system and get £10 worth of change the Post Office was closed! What are we supposed to do?
Village people long ago lost all their Post Offices so this is hardly the answer. So much for progress.
You’ve got to laugh at the spin Nationwide ( along with other banks and building societies ) have used as a reason to close branches or reduce hours of opening. Quote: “With the growth in online banking, which mushroomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nationwide is investing more in its digital services as a result”
The growth of online banking is because the public are being forced to do it due to banks, etc, vanishing from our high streets. This has been happening for several years, long before Covid.
Quote: “As an alternative to an in-person branch visit you could consider using their banking app”
Here we go again forcing people to own a smart phone or other expensive devices which are up-to-date and will accept downloading a banking app. Not everyone wants a smart phone. Not everyone feels comfortable doing online banking. The huge increase in people losing money and being defrauded due to online banking is out of control. And a simple search on Trustpilot reveals 73% of people have submitted negative reviews regards their experience of being with Nationwide, many of them due to a poor online banking experience.
I am 83 and have banked with Nationwide for 22 years, originally partly because they have so many branches. I have used the excellent banking app for some years and as a result I practically never visit the branch. I can pay in cheques using the ATM or by post.
I think the reason the branch is reducing its opening hours is BECAUSE people are using online banking more and more. It is an easy, safe and quick way to monitor accounts and make payments.
Surely we should be glad to have a Nationwide branch in Rye which will still be available to the dwindling number of elderly people unable or unwilling to use a computer or smartphone on 3 days each week.
Quote: “That’s why we remain committed to our branches. And why we renewed our promise to continue to maintain at least one branch in every town and city we’re currently in, until 2023. It’s a promise we’re keeping.”
But Thursday is market day when the town gets busy even when the holiday season is over, although we do see tourists in the town during school term days. I would have thought that Nationwide would have opened this day in opposition to Monday or Tuesday when other shops are closed.
Though they are closing on Tuesday and Thursday each week, on the other three days they are opening for longer..thus those who were unable to go within the shorter opening hours may be able now use the branch.
Not every one has an i phone, iPads or computers..some may have had a bad experience using them. Scams and fraud is on the increase in the IT world we now have. Like all developments to help us they are always others who use them for harm..