After more than four decades behind the counter, Keith bank worker Irene Grant has retired.
The 60-year-old has called it a day at TSB, after starting work in her home town in 1974.
During that time the bank changed hands from the Aberdeen Savings Bank, to TSB, to Lloyds before finally reverting back to TSB. Mrs Grant has been a familiar face behind the counter throughout that time though.
She said: “The people I’m serving now were babies in prams when I started, now they’ve got babies of their own.
“I’ve got to know the majority of them on first-name terms, as well as the people that need a little bit extra help. I’ve always tried to make it a personal service as much as possible.”
And Mrs Grant enjoyed a double celebration as she retired, marking her 60th birthday the very next day.
After leaving school she got an office junior role at the education office in Keith. Unhappy there, she was told about a job going at the Aberdeen Savings Bank.
Mrs Grant said: “I wasn’t happy in that role so one of the ladies approached me and said the bank was looking for staff.
“I had an interview on the Friday. I didn’t even have to properly apply for it. I had a conversation with them, I wouldn’t even call it an interview, and they said I started on Monday. I can’t even remember what we talked about.”
Apart from a short five-year spell in Huntly, Mrs Grant has been based in Keith ever since, only taking time away from the bank to have two children.
In the years since she started in the bank when she was 18, she has seen some major changes to the industry.
She said: “It’s massively changed. Everything was just cash in and out. There was an old-fashioned bank manager who did the important things.
“We had to calculate thinks like interest ourselves, everything was done by hand.”
“The only technology we had was an adding machine, with a handle you had to pull down. There were no computers involved whatsoever.”
During her 42 years with the bank, Mrs Grant had options to move further up the ladder.
But serving the people of Keith was always what held the most attraction for her.
She said: “It was always going to be just a job for me. I had opportunities to progress into management but I was never interested. The face-to-face interaction is always what I’ve enjoyed.
“I don’t know how long I expected to be there, certainly not 42 years though.”
Her employers have also paid tribute to the difference she has made in Keith since she started 1974.
TSB’s branch distribution director Carol Anderson said: “On behalf of TSB I’d like to say a big thank you and congratulations to Irene for the past 42 years.
“Her commitment to helping local people in the Keith community thrive has been outstanding. We wish her all the best for her retirement.”
