Barclays to abolish the role of bank cashier

Bank cashiers have been helping customers for over a hundred years

The age-old role of bank cashier is to be abolished by Barclays Bank.

Instead, from 1st October, 6,500 former branch workers will become known as "community bankers".

Barclays said customers now do most basic transactions digitally, but need to go to a branch for more "in depth" conversations.

The staff will receive an average pay rise of 2.8%, to reflect their promotion.

"We know that really helping customers requires a lot of valuable people skills, and this change is about investing in our workforce," said Steven Cooper, the chief executive of Barclays Personal Banking.

Barclays closed 33 branches around the UK last year, and it is expected to further reduce its network of 1560 branches in the years ahead.

In May this year it announced 9,000 job cuts in its UK banking operations.