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| Slough Metro Bank drive-through branch open for business | Slough Metro Bank drive-through branch open for business |
| (5 days later) | |
| The UK's only drive-through bank, allowing customers to withdraw cash and pay cheques without getting out of their cars, has opened. | |
| Metro Bank opened its 18th branch in Slough, Berkshire earlier. | Metro Bank opened its 18th branch in Slough, Berkshire earlier. |
| The bank also has a branch in Reading and is planning to open two more in Berkshire in Windsor and Bracknell. | The bank also has a branch in Reading and is planning to open two more in Berkshire in Windsor and Bracknell. |
| Chief executive Craig Donaldson claims its opening hours between 08:00 and 20:00, seven days a week, will give customers more flexibility. | Chief executive Craig Donaldson claims its opening hours between 08:00 and 20:00, seven days a week, will give customers more flexibility. |
| Mr Donaldson said: "It's all about convenience for customers. | Mr Donaldson said: "It's all about convenience for customers. |
| "Research tells you normal retail banking times are 08:00 to 20:00, so if that's when customers want to use it, banks should open then." | "Research tells you normal retail banking times are 08:00 to 20:00, so if that's when customers want to use it, banks should open then." |
| The Slough branch on Farnham Road has two drive-through lanes with cashiers as well as a full walk-in branch alongside. | The Slough branch on Farnham Road has two drive-through lanes with cashiers as well as a full walk-in branch alongside. |
| Metro Bank opened its first branch in Holborn, London in 2010. By 2020, it hopes to have 200 branches open across the UK. | Metro Bank opened its first branch in Holborn, London in 2010. By 2020, it hopes to have 200 branches open across the UK. |
| The Financial Services Authority (FSA) granted it a full banking licence in March 2010, the first of its kind for a high street branch in more than 100 years. | The Financial Services Authority (FSA) granted it a full banking licence in March 2010, the first of its kind for a high street branch in more than 100 years. |
| The bank's branches are characterised by bright, spacious lay-outs, which are said to be child-friendly. The bank also also allows dogs through its doors. | The bank's branches are characterised by bright, spacious lay-outs, which are said to be child-friendly. The bank also also allows dogs through its doors. |
| Drive-through banks are popular in the USA among business customers. | Drive-through banks are popular in the USA among business customers. |
| In the UK, HSBC announced plans to open their own drive-through branches in 2007, but eventually chose not to proceed with them. | In the UK, HSBC announced plans to open their own drive-through branches in 2007, but eventually chose not to proceed with them. |
| Natwest has two branches, in Long Eaton and Watford, which allow customers to pay-in money only from their cars. | |
| Barclays opened drive-through branches in Leicester and Epsom in 1959 and 1966 respectively, but the bank confirmed it no longer owns any drive-through branches. |