Moreover, one in ten respondents to the survey from Close Invoice Finance claim they would rather visit their dentist than their bank manager.

The survey of 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) suggests that businesses are less than impressed with the service they get from banks. A majority (58 per cent) of respondents claim bully-boy tactics are employed to encourage them to place all their banking and financing with one provider rather than allowing them to shop around.

The downturn appears to be colouring the outlook of the 200 SMEs surveyed, with more than a quarter (26 per cent) fearing banks will pull the plug on their funding if the economic situation fails to improve.

David Thomson, chief executive of Close Invoice Finance, says, ‘Many [growing businesses] miss the “Captain Mainwaring” figure of the traditional bank manager. But in an era of call centres and tightening margins, they recognise that he’s all but vanished from modern British banking.’

Ian Wood, owner of design agency ICM, comments, ‘You don’t talk to bank managers now. It has all cascaded down to “personal business advisers” and you get advice from a spotty 22 year old who doesn’t understand your business.’