SINCE Metro Bank first opened the doors to its Earl’s Court and Fulham branches in autumn 2010, more than 400 start-up accounts have been issued to new businesses.

At a time when confidence in banks was at an all-time low, Metro Bank set itself the goal of becoming a friendly local bank at the heart of the community.

Open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, its rhetoric was to provide top rate customer service and to become a welcome and familiar face through its outreach work.

Fifteen months later, Metro Bank measures its success not only by the number of customers – 200 existing businesses switched sides, as well as thousands of personal accounts – but by its influence on its neighbours.

During that period, the teams at the two branches have supported local organisations such as family service charity Pimento, based in Kensington, and community events including a treasure hunt at the Earl’s Court Festival.

At first the idea of launching a new high street bank in the middle of a recession – Britain’s first in more than a century – might have seemed a risk, but David Burton-Sampson, former director of the Earl’s Court branch in Cromwell Road, believes it gave the firm a platform to offer customers a completely reinvigorated banking service.

“At that time, customers’ goodwill with the banks was at an all-time low,” said Mr Burton-Sampson. “They became so large
that they forgot about supporting the community and local businesses. They are open for less time, many from 9.30am to 4.30pm, and because they’re only open five days a week people become frustrated with big queues and the stress of
banking.

“We aim to give the customer a good experience. Because we don’t have big queues, someone with a new business or just someone wanting to open up an account, can come in and be set up in half an hour.”

The bank prides itself on itsback-to-basics approach – the safety deposit boxes are exceptionally popular and its one-year fixed rate cash ISA has been recommended by money saving guru Martin Lewis. The bank is also dog-friendly, and staff are trained and sent into schools to give children advice about the importance of saving.

Jarrod Latham, director of the Fulham Broadway branch, said: “We have a financial educational programme called the Money Zone. We send our staff to schools to talk to years four and five about money, how it works and how it’s good to save from an early age. We’ve also got a free magic money machine, which counts coins, that anyone is allowed to come in and use.

"With youngsters, every time they use the machine they get a stamp. After five months they are given £5 to put in their savings account. We find that with the community work, it’s not about just giving them money, it’s about the additional support that we can provide.”

Metro Bank aims to have about 200 branches open within the M25 by 2020 and plans are in the pipeline for a Hammmersmith branch, which is expected to open later this year.

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