Barclays Bank ‘advice’ re: Photographers

Barclays include the following statement on their finance and business website, re: Commissioning Photography!

“Professional photographers are expensive so consider using a good amateur. There is often little difference in the quality of the final product.”

BLOODY HELL!! the impertinance.

The National Union of Journalists, Freelance Organiser has written to the Barlcyays Chairman.

Sir Peter Middleton, GCB

Chairman

Barclays Bank plc

54 Lombard Street

London EC3

2.01.03

Dear Sir Peter,

My attention has been drawn to a website,www.clearlybusiness.com, supported by Barclays Bank in conjunction with Freeserve.

This site purports to offer sound advice on finance and business.

Among the advice currently on offer is the gem:

“Professional photographers are expensive so consider using a good amateur.There is often little difference in the quality of the final product.”

The National Union of Journalists has 35,000 members, many of whom are photographers. It is tempting to advise our members to dispense with the services of a bank altogether and simply stick their hard-earned cash in an old sock and tuck it under the mattress.

But that would be absurd – wouldn’t it?

Perhaps, though, your advice could be applied to other trades and professions. Why pay an electrician or a gas fitter when you could get some college student who will do the work for expenses only?

Then no one earns a living, no one spends money, bank deposits evaporate and the economy grinds to a halt. What sound advice!

I intend to direct my members to the advice on your website and allow them to decide if they wish to transfer their accounts to an outfit with a more professional attitude.

Yours sincerely,

John Toner

Freelance Organiser NUJ