I HAVE just visited the city-centre bank Barclays, which has automated its counter.

After waiting10 minutes to get to a machine to make my in-payment, the machine would not take a mixture of cash and cheques in one deposit; they had to be separate.

The helpful assistant directed me to the “business” counter for another 15-minute wait.

As each machine had an assistant, what is the point in changing what was a quicker and simpler way?

P Hudson, Lancaster Way, York.