Berwick, and consequently Spittal are so far north, that they are off the edge of the coloured maps commissioned by Martins for FOUR CENTURIES OF BANKING VOL II. Please forgive therefore, this rudimentary effort as published in Martins Bank Magazine in Autumn 1965. Berwick upon Tweed is home to several branches and services between joining the Bank of Liverpool and Martins in 1914 through the merger with the North Eastern Banking Company, and the merger of Martins with Barclays in 1969. At various points during this time there are sub branches at Berwick Corn Exchange, Lowick, Spittal and Tweedmouth, and the unique Holy Island Banking Service. That Spittal and Tweedmouth were ever large enough to support their own sub branches is debatable, but nevertheless the Bank of Liverpool and Martins opens both of them in 1923, and they both operate until the outbreak of the Second World War. Fifteen years or so should be more than enough to judge whether an outlet is profitable, and although we have no evidence, we can assume that the closure of these sub branches is probably well overdue when the War came along. In an age where over 90% of customers would use only cash, Bank branches are as essential as cash machines are today, but cold hard economics will always dictate what should be kept on and what should be got rid of. None of this ties in of course, with our romantic and nostalgic notions that there should be branches of our bank in every town and village! We have no opening times for either Spittal or Tweedmouth, but we would be surprised if they were open longer than a day or two each week, and the probably shared hours across the same days – e.g. one open in the morning, the other in the afternoon.
Title:	11- 068 Spittal Closed 1939
Type:	Sub to 11-068 Berwick Upon Tweed
Address:	Main Street Spittal Northumberland
Hours:	Not Known
	Not known
Telephone:	No telephone
Services:	Counter Only
Manager:	Berwick Manager
© gut informiert 2007 to date