Banking -Then and Now

Bob Ellison

CASH – OR CARD?
AN INSIDER’S TALES OF BANKING THEN & NOW

In recent months, Audlem Probus Club’s retired business professionals and guests have gleaned insights into a huge variety of speakers’ topics. To name a few, they ranged from: the high-speed life of Bentley’s racing playboys and girls; the science of chocolate, the lighter side of courtroom contests, the history of cartooning, WW2 prisoner-of-war camps in Cheshire and Liverpool’s legacy of slavery, to the “pirate radio station” Radio Caroline, still broadcasting today.

This Thursday (Oct 9th), we’re delving into the world of high finance as experienced by Warrington-based Bob Ellison.

A brief internet search reveals that banking in the UK, which dates back to the 17th century, has gone through many changes. The Bank of England was granted independence by the Labour government in 1997 to meet the government's inflation target. The 2008 financial crisis highlighted weaknesses in the system, particularly the risky practices of some banks, leading to government interventions and rescues.

In the early 1990’s, we witnessed the failure of a large number of small banks in the UK. After 35 years of working for TSB, Lloyds TSB and then Lloyds Bank until his early retirement in 2002, Bob is well placed to reveal some insider stories of banking to the present day. As he says “My talk tells the story of my Banking career, the ups & downs and how Banking has changed and how everything has to be done online".

Many of us are increasingly concerned about online banking and the closure of so many bank branches. Perhaps Bob’s presentation will answer some of our questions about these aspects. As he adds: “I talk about fraud, detailing some current and past cases”, adding the comment “ . . . with names changed to protect the innocent!”.

Guests and visitors are welcome to join us this Thursday (Oct 9th),

Audlem Public Hall, from 10am.