Picture of a bank in not such rude health

I’ve just been down to RBS to interview the new chief executive, Stephen Hester – an excellent interview, on Channel 4 News tonight (see extended interview below).

Visiting the RBS headquarters in London is a moving experience. There are a number of rather brave-looking souls outside the building, smoking. I say “brave” because presumably there must always be the danger of the odd rotten tomato coming in their direction.

So I checked them out – delightful fellows, they work at Olivetti next door, oblivious to the risk.

The HQ is very “bank”, ameliorated by three delightful receptionists in very fetching blue tartans. But what I really found fascinating was their view of the artwork on the executive walls.

When I interviewed John Varley, the head of Barclays, the other day in his Canary Wharf headquarters, the bankers were insistent we shouldn’t even glimpse the edge of any of the priceless works of art that festooned the walls.

I thought, in all decency, that I should mention it to the people at RBS as I gazed at some purple lilies that might have been by anybody from Mary Whitehouse to Paganini. They chortled and said: “No, no! Show the lot! It’s all up for sale!”

That’s the difference between a bank that says it made a £5bn profit and a bank that admits it made a £24bn loss.

RBS HQ image courtesy Neil101