THE people of Milford are understandably up-in-arms over the decision by HSBC to close its branch – the last remaining bank in the village (Daily Echo, March 23).

But as much as I sympathise with them, I fear they are spitting in the wind if they think their protests will persuade HSBC to reverse it. Banks spend hundreds of millions on advertising every year – trying to persuade us that they really are our best friends.

But the reality is that they are their own best friends and despite such fancy flummery as ‘We are constantly evolving and developing our services to help you do your banking at a time and place that suits you’, everything they do is purely for their own benefit, not for that of their customers.

Service is not a word understood by bankers unless it is preceded by the word ‘self’. It won't be long before bankers find themselves several rungs below politicians and lawyers in the league table of most loathed professions.

ROBERT READMAN, Norwich Avenue West, Bournemouth