A number of banks are installing muzak in their branches, and most will play telephone muzak when they put you on hold.

However, The Chelsea Building Society does not use piped music in its branches and will not torture you with muzak when you are placed on hold when making a telephone call. Head office: Thirlestaine Hall, Cheltenham, Glos GL53 7AL. Tel. 01242 271271.

Natwest Bank

Is installing muzak in an increasing number of branches. Complain to:

Manager Retail Banking Services, Level AM West, Goodmans Fields, 74 Alie Street, London. E1 8HL.
 

Nationwide Building Society

May be reconsidering their use of telephone muzak. To support this contact:

Customer Services, Nationwide House, Pipers Way, Swindon. SN38 1NW.

You can also send an email directly from the company website (click on Contact Us) at:

http://www.nationwide.co.uk

Or send an email yourself to: customer.services@nationwide.co.uk

Customer Services is on: 08457 30 20 10.

 

Bank of Scotland

Has muzak in at least some of its branches. You should make a point of complaining to that branch, and also to:

Mr Gordon Stewart, Customer Care Manager, Branch Banking Customer Care Centre, Cherrybank, Perth. PH2 ONG. Tel. 01738 474516. email: webmaster@rbos.co.uk

HSBC

Have installed muzak in all of their branches. If you have an account, complain about this, close your account and move your money to another bank, making it clear why you are doing this. The same applies if you are a First Direct customer, which is owned by HSBC.

Write to: The Manager, Customer Relations, HSBC Bank, Level 40, 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ. Tel. 0800 88 11 55.

e-mail: customerrelations@hsbc.com

Co-operative Bank

The same goes for the Co-op Bank, which has muzak installed in it’s branches. Smile, the online bank, is also owned by the Co-op and you should take the same approach to them. Contact information:

Customer Service, PO Box 200, Delf House, Southway, Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 6GH. Head Office, The Co-operative Bank p.l.c., PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP. Tel. 08457 212 212. e-mail: customerservice@co-operativebank.co.uk