Horning Post Office

[marshman]

I am really surprised that some still do no trust "modern technology" like cashpoints as they have been around for 50 years or so now!!!! I still use cash but I do also use contactless and internet banking as well, the latter is easy to use to pay in cheques too - in addition I cannot remember when I last actually used a cheque book!! I suppose its somewhere in my drawer!

Having said Apps can drive me up the wall!!

[Hylander]

We still use cash for the Window Cleaner, Chiropodist , Car Wash etc.      I do still use a cheque book and often receive cheques.   I pay these into the local shop which has a post office.       I would never put my on line banking on my mobile phone and only will use it on my desk top.    The App sends shivers down my spine as I have never ever found one that is anything like it is cracked up to be.       The Bank in Beccles has closed so no option for getting cash or paying in cheques there anymore and this is progress!!!!

[addicted]

We use cash just for the purchase each morning of our papers and I use cheques to pay my visiting hairdresser. I use internet banking only to check that all is in order and for  any transactions  I go to the bank personally as although our local branch closed we still have branches in neighbouring towns that are easily accessible and some functions are possible at our local post office  so at the moment we  can manage things to our satisfaction. It's not so much that I don't trust modern technology, it's more that I don't trust myself not to make a hash of it! My keyboard skills  lack much to be desired.

 

 

Carole

[MargeandParge]

Consider a flex account at Nationwide BS they have a no closure policy until 2028

They are always good to deal with either on line in branch post or phone

There is one in Beccles just the same service as the banks that ran away, only better. 

They have branches all over the place their website will show your nearest

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[YnysMon]

2 hours ago, MargeandParge said:

Consider a flex account at Nationwide BS they have a no closure policy until 2028

They are always good to deal with either on line in branch post or phone

There is one in Beccles just the same service as the banks that ran away, only better. 

They have branches all over the place their website will show your nearest

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

We’ve been ‘banking’ with Nationwide since the 1980’s. We were previously with Lloyds but I took umbrage at them charging us a whole 3 months charges for being overdrawn when our account went into the red on a Saturday. I was paid on the day before (Friday) but they didn’t credit our account until the following day. Lloyds certainly didn’t have a working day on a Saturday in those days, so it felt like they had deliberately messed up so they could charge us. 

[rightsaidfred]

6 hours ago, addicted said:

We use cash just for the purchase each morning of our papers and I use cheques to pay my visiting hairdresser. I use internet banking only to check that all is in order and for  any transactions  I go to the bank personally as although our local branch closed we still have branches in neighbouring towns that are easily accessible and some functions are possible at our local post office  so at the moment we  can manage things to our satisfaction. It's not so much that I don't trust modern technology, it's more that I don't trust myself not to make a hash of it! My keyboard skills  lack much to be desired.

 

 

Carole

I have to admit that I do everything on line and I havn't been in a bank for years, even living in London my nearest branch is 4 miles away where parking is impossible and public transport not much better for a direct route, only carry cash for emergencies when on the boat, direct debit pays most bills BACS for one off payments and card for everything else, I can't remember last time I wrote a cheque but my book goes back to 1990 something and should I receive a cheque I pay it in on my phone, the technology isn't that difficult and perfectly safe if used correctly, my post office  like most others is in a shop with only a couple of counters and with every one posting parcels and applying for passports and licenses etc you could easily spend an hour or more so that's a no go.

Fred

[Polly]

I see no evidence that the PO has seen the error of its ways.  Time for a rethink.

[SteveO]

I do hope they can sort this one out. Once the PO closes, there will be nowhere to obtain cash in Horning and, barring a car drive to the PO in Hoveton precinct, there will be nowhere there either. Whether we like it or not, small transactions require cash and the Chinese takeaway in Horning is cash only. The banks have salved their consciences and assuaged public anger when removing services such as ATMs by insisting that cash is always available from POs. Maybe they should be paying a subsidy into the system to keep the Post Offices open and attractive as a business proposition. 

[rightsaidfred]

23 minutes ago, SteveO said:

I do hope they can sort this one out. Once the PO closes, there will be nowhere to obtain cash in Horning and, barring a car drive to the PO in Hoveton precinct, there will be nowhere there either. Whether we like it or not, small transactions require cash and the Chinese takeaway in Horning is cash only. The banks have salved their consciences and assuaged public anger when removing services such as ATMs by insisting that cash is always available from POs. Maybe they should be paying a subsidy into the system to keep the Post Offices open and attractive as a business proposition. 

Horses for courses I suppose, in London and I guess elsewhere many businesses only accept cards, personally I would be wary of supporting any business that only deals in cash.

Fred

[marshman]

Not sure the Banks actually own Link or have any direct say in where machines go - but of course pre empt closure by closing the facility where the machine often, but not always, is.

Sadly however, a bit like pubs, we only us lose these facilities if they are not used to their fullest extent. Currently debit cards are used  for 48% of transactions and cash for just 15% and as us oldies die away , cash will be used less over a period of time. In Sweden its now under 10% - so keep your mattresses full!

[dom]

1 hour ago, rightsaidfred said:

personally I would be wary of supporting any business that only deals in cash.

I'm the same. Any business not taking cards is likely to be evading tax, money laundering - or has had so many customers disputing transactions due to poor product/service that they're no longer able to obtain card services.

There used to be a time when getting a card terminal could prove difficult, and fees were excessive - but that's long gone and literally anyone can now get one for around £50 or so, with fees not much more than 1%.

The only exception to the rule is gun shops. You can't discriminate against age, race, gender or disability these days, but apparently it's fine to do so against law abiding, fully licensed gun dealers because guns offend some people - even when being used for pest control in food production, or control of invasive species. Many struggle to get card services, or even business bank accounts of late.

[Smoggy]

As far as online banking goes I had a spare current account after doing a manual account change so decided to do a little switching experiment, since January I'm now £750 up and just done the 4th switch, just got to watch for the next switching deal now, just needed 2 direct debits to qualify (2 charities made about £16) and had to put some cash in and use the app for one so I used the app to take the cash back out again.

It's nice to get one over the banks for a change. 

[MauriceMynah]

2 hours ago, dom said:

the same. Any business not taking cards is likely to be evading tax, money laundering - or has had so many customers disputing transactions due to poor product/service that they're no longer able to obtain card services.

Many Chinese takeaways Are 'cash only'. In Stalham High Street there are three, two of which are cash only and one takes card payment. The one taking cards is significantly more expensive. I suspect that the cost of the card service is the reason, rather than Chinese laundering money. 

[twowrights]

7 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

As far as online banking goes I had a spare current account after doing a manual account change so decided to do a little switching experiment, since January I'm now £750 up and just done the 4th switch, just got to watch for the next switching deal now, just needed 2 direct debits to qualify (2 charities made about £16) and had to put some cash in and use the app for one so I used the app to take the cash back out again.

It's nice to get one over the banks for a change. 

Amateur.  I've had seven bank switches in 16 months, and am well over 1k up. When the time limit for switching runs out I'll start again. The only one I thought wouldn't take me, but they did, was Co-Op bank. It was in January and one of the questions was 'how long have you had your present account'? I almost felt embarrassed typing 'December 2023', almost! 

[MargeandParge]

12 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Many Chinese takeaways Are 'cash only'. In Stalham High Street there are three, two of which are cash only and one takes card payment. The one taking cards is significantly more expensive. I suspect that the cost of the card service is the reason, rather than Chinese laundering money. 

Chinese Laundry?

[MauriceMynah]

14 minutes ago, MargeandParge said:

Chinese Laundry?

Yeah, my little joke there.  :-)

[dom]

40 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Many Chinese takeaways Are 'cash only'. In Stalham High Street there are three, two of which are cash only and one takes card payment. The one taking cards is significantly more expensive. I suspect that the cost of the card service is the reason, rather than Chinese laundering money. 

It's cheaper for a company to take card payments than other method these days - particularly with the lack of places to pay in cash.

1% card charge isn't a particularly large issue with high margin product like food. Probably more likely that the one with a card machine has a better understanding of their finances and is pricing accordingly.

 

[rightsaidfred]

24 minutes ago, dom said:

It's cheaper for a company to take card payments than other method these days - particularly with the lack of places to pay in cash.

1% card charge isn't a particularly large issue with high margin product like food. Probably more likely that the one with a card machine has a better understanding of their finances and is pricing accordingly.

 

Yes cash is expensive for a legitimate business, as is employees.

Fred

[TheQ]

23 hours ago, MargeandParge said:

Consider a flex account at Nationwide BS they have a no closure policy until 2028

They are always good to deal with either on line in branch post or phone

There is one in Beccles just the same service as the banks that ran away, only better. 

They have branches all over the place their website will show your nearest

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

Nationwide had their hands smacked for their current no closures adverts.. They started them immediately after having a round of closures.

[TheQ]

As for cash it's a right pain paying in, first find a bank. For me that's a 40 mile round trip.

for a small business, for my model Railway club account that would be a £1.50 charge, plus 1.5% of the value, not too dissimilar to the cheque or paying in charges.

That's why I've just spent a couple of hours ordering a card reader for the club, there's a lot less hassle, the overall charges will be less as we have a lot of small transactions.

[grendel]

I tend to visit Horning post office every time i moor up at horning- sadly though I visit the post office I only go there for the Arthur Ransome books sold there.

[dom]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

I tend to visit Horning post office every time i moor up at horning- sadly though I visit the post office I only go there for the Arthur Ransome books sold there.

I'm currently about 5 books into the S&A series again. Hate to think how many times I've read it. I slipped up when my grandparents passed away, forgetting to go through their book collection before my mum offloaded them all. They had Ransome and C.S.Lewis copies which I suspect were quite early editions. I now have the whole lot on Kindle on my iPad instead. With anyone else, you'd feel a bit foolish admitting to reading kid's books, but Ransome's combination of proper sailing, adventure and passion for the countryside still seems unparalleled.

It's a shame he didn't write any more mature fiction. Racundra's First Cruise being based on real life experience was so dry I've still not made it all the way through.

[YnysMon]

4 hours ago, dom said:

I'm currently about 5 books into the S&A series again. Hate to think how many times I've read it. I slipped up when my grandparents passed away, forgetting to go through their book collection before my mum offloaded them all. They had Ransome and C.S.Lewis copies which I suspect were quite early editions. I now have the whole lot on Kindle on my iPad instead. With anyone else, you'd feel a bit foolish admitting to reading kid's books, but Ransome's combination of proper sailing, adventure and passion for the countryside still seems unparalleled.

It's a shame he didn't write any more mature fiction. Racundra's First Cruise being based on real life experience was so dry I've still not made it all the way through.

You can’t beat reading ‘The Coot Club’ whilst on a sailing holiday on a Hunter’s boat. 

[Hylander]

https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/24256984.horning-post-office-saved-tidings-newsagents/?ref=eb&nid=2399&block=article_block_a&u=c160d74be8c30ff96c1e228a4a7f5f71&date=180424

[dom]

There's now a petition running to try and persuade Royal Mail of the need to keep services in the village.

https://www.change.org/p/help-us-to-keep-the-valued-post-office-in-our-village