I just think it’s odd that they’ve made the branch so ‘current’, modern and playful when physical branches are largely used by those who can’t stand that sort of thing.
There’s a Barclays branch near me with an interior like something out of a Space Odyssey, it’s huge, but it’s just a few machines in the wall. They’ve got so many staff people wandering about with tablets trying to help people use the machines. 
And currently they are the only bank doing this. Which is why I wonder if they will actually do banking on a Sunday.
Another voice for yes and no, but slightly different:
If done well (i.e. minimal waiting time, pleasant atmosphere, genuinely helpful) I could imagine it (especially if the alternative is sending documents through the mail, which just loses everything all the time).
Sadly, that’ snot often the case …
Ha, I had to go the Barclays on Saturday. What an experience:
The branch hasn’t been refurbished since the 50s or so. It has loads of posters advertising you to take out a loan from them to repair or refurbish your home. Maybe they should apply for one of those?! (Seriously: not just stained carpets, but holes in the ceiling, power sockets that are taped over because they are no longer safe to use, that sort of level of disrepair…)
I had to wait forever, all he while out of their 10 counters only 3 are active, and a queue of about 20 people throughout the time. 2 advisers at their desks with a waiting time of 40 minutes.
But then there are 3 (!) clowns with tablets trying to help people use the machines. But noone wants to use the machines, so they are just chatting with one another. While their customers wait and wait and wait. Why don’t us go behind the counter? Or behind the desk? And actually help customers?!
Barclays lost me when I tried to open an account in branch and was told I needed an appointment which was 3 weeks away.
I’m usually really happy with them. But this was just unbelievable …
They’ve got so many staff people wandering about with tablets trying to help people use the machines
Maybe they should hire some developers & UX designers to actually make the machines a pleasure to use? The reason why people need “help” using the machines is because they’ve completely screwed up the UX.
I think they will I mean why copy Metro hours if they won’t be?
Because banks can be open with no counter services, like this Barclays one.
What do you do on a Monday betwen 5 and 6pm, then? Queue up, so as to be the first to be served on Tuesday?
Use ATM’s and automated processes I suppose. They still have staff with tablets, but they just… can’t do anything.
Out of pure curiosity I’d love to see what sort of branch Monzo would design if they had to do this - bright coral uniforms? I’m sure at least it would look 100x better than that gameshow set above
I imagine it would be casual. Like a drop in place. Not specific places for specific issues - just approach a staff member and that person deals with your issue.
Oh, and free coffee 
My local HSBC premier centre do this it’s a nice touch and have sweet treats available as well whilst you wait.
I’d rather they just had enough staff that I could get out of there quickly
True but then at minimum £75,000 salary (or £50,000 savings) I’d like to think they are making enough money from you to give you a coffee or two!
It does remind me somewhat of the Virgin Money lounges also. They’re very much like this social space layout.
Their account is genuinely horrendous though unless you do every bit of banking in the branch so I’m not really sure how they attract customers. A web interface pretty much only serves to show you your balance.
If they put an Amazon locker / doddle counter in there, with Metro bank late opening hours, that could actually be really useful
I really think that banks are missing a trick with the whole branch thing.
I think this is true - at least for a subset of the banking population. If I choose to bank with someone who has branches, I want a branch experience. If I want a digital experience, I’ll choose someone like Monzo. What I absolutely don’t want is a hybrid where I go to a branch pay in a cheque and am bullied into using a machine by a persistent and annoying member of staff who I’d much rather be behind the counter.
I get that there’s a need to reduce costs, but - to me, at least - the distinguishing factor for branches is about customer service and the human touch. Turning bank branches into empty digital vassals kinda defeats the object for me.
This reminded me of another thread - API 'co-op'(ish) physical branches - #4 by northernlight where @tthew said:
While I thoroughly disagree with the idea of Monzo getting into the branch game, I could see a very clever clearing bank choosing to hive off its branch network, giving it a, say, 10 year non-exclusive licence to provide services to their brand, with the payments ratcheting down each year, but a commitment to invest in APIs to create an open standard for interfaces with physical banks that could then be used to expand the market. If it’s successful, Lloyds Banking Group (say) could even put their own staff in the “API bank” for stuff like account openings, or for that special Lloyds touch (I have no idea what that would be, but I’m sure they’d be keen on the idea)…
My town used to have 5? branches. By the end of the year it will have none. Even the next town along is losing its main branches (HSBC, Natwest etc). So my nearest legacy branch will be 12 miles away.
My local(ish) Barclays is like that, there’s a couple of staff members there purely to show you how to use one of the many machines in there. It feels like walking into an arcade!
The best machine is the one you empty the piggy bank into, most gets deposited in your account and the euro’s and pocket fluff come back out in the tray at the bottom 