Respect will come with good results, says BBA chief
By Stephanie Bartup, Midlands Correspondent
High street banks will only get a good reputation as lenders when they do their job properly, the chief executive of the British Bankers' Association (BBA) has told Insider.
Angela Knight said that respect from businesses would only come when the banks gave real assistance and lent responsibly.
She spoke to Insider as she prepared to appear at the Better Business Finance roadshow's Birmingham leg.
It is the eighth roadshow event from the finance organisation, at which businesses in the region can meet banks face-to-face and discuss the best ways to boost the economy.
Knight said: "This is about helping out small businesses and improving their relationships with banks. The banks will offer advice on applying for equity investments from the Business Growth Fund, discuss methods of funding start-ups and give advice on what to do if a request for funding is turned down by a bank.
"We really want to bridge the gap between the two."
Knight, who has been head of the BBA since 2007, said that irresponsible lending would not aid relationships between businesses and banks.
"Sometimes 'no' is the right answer; sometimes offering funding is. Relations are definitely getting better, but we need to keep progressing in that vein," she said.
The Birmingham leg of the Better Business Finance campaign is open for all local businesses to attend and takes place tomorrow (Thursday 6 October).
