The White Label Branch: The Time is Right   Why it should be trialled now   It has been desk-top validated by Loughborough University Banking Centre for the Federation of Small Businesses as “operationally feasible and financially viable”. Proven shared banking technology is available in the UK known as ‘MutualPlus’ developed by LINK from the ATM switching model, in use by two large building societies and LINK are keen to see it used in a commercial banking environment. Shared branches, in particular the neutral stand-alone version, operate successfully in the United States handling large volumes and more transaction types than would be expected here. Although obstacles were predicted by the banks in ‘Banking without Branches’ January 2000, experience since then, and the evidence from MutualPlus and the American examples, indicate that they will not prove to be insurmountable. The BBA ‘shared banking’ pilot of 2000 was in 10 locations representative of only 50 others, was not a trial of the neutral white label model, and the independent reviewer’s report stated that its results could not be extrapolated outside the narrow base with which she had been presented. Subsequent detailed analysis of the results revealed some strongly positive indicators for the success of pilots elsewhere. The research for the BBA in January 2000 revealed a “shared branch” as the most popular alternative choice for individuals and small businesses if a local branch of their own bank was not possible. Despite this finding, the shared branch model has not yet been trialled. Until a pilot has been conducted with the full co-operation and endorsement of consumer and small business representative bodies (CCBS as an active coalition of these interests already exists) fierce opposition to future closures will not go away and political interference cannot be discounted. Potential outsourcing companies experienced in retail banking are understood to be interested in the concept (one, Unisys, has developed a shared branch model known as Unibank) and are ready to work with the banks.