--- title: "Banking: Culture must change" description: 'Shifting power and knowledge from head offices back to branches would have a definitive impact on business confidence, and on relationships that have been badly damaged in recent years.' Adam Marshal --- - [About ](https://www.chamber-business.com/member/about-us) - [Membership](https://www.chamber-business.com/become-a-member-of-bedfordshire-chamber-of-commerce) - [Global Trade](https://www.chamber-business.com/exporting) - [ Events](https://my.chamber-business.com/events.html) - [ News ](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog) - [ Contact Us](https://www.chamber-business.com/contact-us) - [Members Portal](https://my.chamber-business.com/) - [BedX](https://www.chamber-business.com/bedx) - [Webinars](https://www.chamber-business.com/webinar-page) [![Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce](https://www.chamber-business.com/hubfs/Bedfordshire_Chamber_April2018_Theme/Image/logo-header.png)![Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce](https://www.chamber-business.com/hubfs/Bedfordshire_Chamber_April2018_Theme/Image/logo-header-small.png)](https://www.chamber-business.com/) T: [01582 522448](tel:01582%20522448) E: [info@chamber-business.com](mailto:info@chamber-business.com) Call **[01582 522448](tel:01582522448)** or email **[info@chamber-business.com](mailto:info@chamber-business.com)** [**](https://www.twitter.com/BedsChamberInfo) [**](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2451144/profile) [**](https://www.facebook.com/BedfordshireChamber) - [About ](https://www.chamber-business.com/member/about-us) - [Membership](https://www.chamber-business.com/become-a-member-of-bedfordshire-chamber-of-commerce) - [Global Trade](https://www.chamber-business.com/exporting) - [ Events](https://my.chamber-business.com/events.html) - [ News ](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog) - [ Contact Us](https://www.chamber-business.com/contact-us) - [Members Portal](https://my.chamber-business.com/) - [BedX](https://www.chamber-business.com/bedx) - [Webinars](https://www.chamber-business.com/webinar-page) [Join Now](https://www.chamber-business.com/become-a-member-of-bedfordshire-chamber-of-commerce) # Latest updates and stories from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and its Members ## Banking: Culture must change Written by [Paula Devine](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/author/paula-devine) | 06 Feb 2013 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Piggy Bank](https://www.chamber-business.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Piggy-Bank-1.jpg?width=217&name=Piggy-Bank-1.jpg) Commenting on the speech on banking delivered  by Business Secretary Vince Cable, Dr Adam Marshall, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Vince Cable is right to say that Britain’s banks require major culture change, particularly in their dealings with businesses. Shifting power and knowledge from head offices back to branches would have a definitive impact on business confidence, and on relationships that have been badly damaged in recent years. “Chambers of Commerce around the country will welcome the publication of local data on business lending. The smaller picture is too often hidden beneath big national figures that obscure realities on the ground. Clear new data will enable Chambers and businesses to hold banks to account for their local performance, and identify the places where problems exist in the flow of credit to viable companies. “While we continue to support Vince Cable’s determination to build a strong British Business Bank, neither he nor the Treasury should shut the door on the possibility of direct lending to new and growing businesses. A business bank may not need a branch in every high street, but given the dysfunctional nature of business finance in Britain, a state-backed business bank will need to be able to work directly with companies if it is to make an impact on the funding gap entrepreneurs have suffered from for nearly a century.” zp8497586rq Topics: [Bedfordshire](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/bedfordshire), [Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/bedfordshire-chamber-of-commerce), [business](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/business), [economy](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/economy), [networking](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/networking), [offices](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/offices), [British Chambers of Commerce](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/british-chambers-of-commerce), [Luton](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/luton), [News](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/news), [SEMLEP](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/semlep), [Politics](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/politics), [bankruptcy](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/topic/bankruptcy) ![Paula Devine](https://www.chamber-business.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Images/blog%20authors%20avatars/paula-devine-bcc.png?width=100&height=100&name=paula-devine-bcc.png) #### Written by [Paula Devine](https://www.chamber-business.com/blog/author/paula-devine) Paula is Head of Membership and Global Services at Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce. ### More stories... 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