Evil Knievil: Potentially bust banks

I deal with Metro Bank (LON:MTRO) further down. But although I am all in favour of competition, with the long-established High Street banks I am not impressed by a dog-stroking CEO who sees that MTRO pays his wife serious dough for services rendered to MTRO.

Yesterday’s STel offers a piece from an Oliver Gill as to how Grayling is under the cosh. Not from Gill he ain’t. For instance, Gill dredges up the shipless Grayling investment. Gill has clearly never heard of call option trades.

I have now caught up with my post and parcel arrears. Included therein is a copy of The Great African Bangle Culture written by a James Mellon. This is not the chairman but Sir James Mellon, now 90 and the father of the chairman. You can get a copy from:

Fruitful Publications
Viking House
Nelson St.
Douglas
IoM IMI 2AH

Mary Portas is a bit late: she wants Sir Philip Green to be stripped of his knighthood. But is it fair to kick a man when he is down? Green is now, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, worth less than £1bn. His Arcadia Group is giving him grief. I could go on.

Finally, MTRO is clearly in trouble. They can’t yet raise the £350m they say they need. They might but wise punters would do well to steer clear at 500p.