Letter: Cash economy

Cash economy

Sir: I constantly hear about measures to encourage and help small businesses tool up and prepare for the new world of electronic commerce.

Last week I needed, in a hurry, to transfer pounds 600 from my current account with a major high-street bank to another of my current accounts with a different major bank.

After phone calls to both I was advised that the quickest and cheapest option was as follows: travel to a branch of bank number one and withdraw pounds 600 in cash; travel to a branch of bank number two and hand it in over the counter. (This supposing, of course, that I could find one of the dwindling number of bank branches.)

Is anyone out there looking at how very large companies might be encouraged to prepare for the 21st century?

JANE PERRY

Guildford, Surrey