Before 1973, a voting card was essential for everyday business, from cashing a cheque to getting married.

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What we now have a most unusual situation - a bank in Scotland with profits in freefall despite previous attempts at gutting expenses, comparatively few branches and soon to become fewer, effectively little more than an financial call centre with a few cheque cashing shops and a couple of trendy business centres.

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When was the last time you saw a wealthy person patronise a cheque-cashing service, use Western Union or visit a payday lender (for an above-board transaction, I mean)?

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"Pay day and other high interest short term loans will only give you the money until pay day but you have 28 days at extortionate interest rates and on top of that if you're actually lucky enough to be given a cheque you will be charged for cashing that cheque so you won't actually get the full amount, " she added.

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