Barclays eagle comes down for Dutch bank bid?
August 21, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Banking
A Dorset branch of Barclays Bank has had an eagle emblem removed in a bid to avoid “Nazi” connotations, it has been claimed.
The metal eagle, which has stood outside Barclays House in Poole for 30 years, was taken down on Sunday.
There has also been speculation that the bank is being especially attentive to the sensitivities of its Dutch customers, due to its current takeover bid for Amsterdam-based ABM Amro.
Anti-German feeling in Holland stems from the country’s occupation by the Nazis – in whose symbolism the eagle features prominently.
The bank claimed officially that the bird was out of date – with a different version of the eagle currently being used for Barclays’ branding.
Nevertheless, an anonymous source at the bank told the Times that the eagle had been “rather Teutonic-looking”, and might have had “unfortunate connotations”.
Barclays has in fact been branded with an eagle symbol since 1728, when it moved to new premises in the City, according to the BBC.
It is currently locked in a battle with a rival consortium headed up by the Royal Bank of Scotland for the right to take over the Dutch bank.
New graduate deals from RBS
June 13, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Banking
This year’s set of graduates are being offered £2,000 interest-free by the Royal Bank of Scotland so that the pressure is off somewhat during their first three years of work. 
Nicknamed the Graduate Royalties offer, it consists of two distinct options. Graduates can either go for a three-year interest-free stepped overdraft facility of up to £2,000 or the aforementioned interest-free loan.
“Many graduates feel under financial pressure after leaving university, so to help in easing that pressure, we have a great team of advisers on hand in our branches,” said Katie Cassidy from the bank’s graduate banking department.
“They can talk to graduates about any concerns they may have with the financial transition from studying to finding employment.”
Other perks that come with the account include a 25 per cent dining discount at over 450 restaurants in the UK, commission-free travel money and ten per cent off selected holidays.
