xHaving acquired a number of Kentish branches through its amalgamation with Martins Private Bank, the Bank of Liverpool and Martins opens further branches in the area in the mid 1920s. The Bank is soon however more concerned with financing a number of expensive major projects.	1929 1930 1931 Extracts from Martins Bank Limited Annual Report and Accounts © Barclays Image © BT 1934
These include the re-building of 68 Lombard Street, and the construction at Water Street, Liverpool, of a palatial new Head Office building. A number of smaller branches fall casualty to these plans and even those that have only just been opened are not spared the axe in what becomes the first period of consolidation in the history of the modern day Martins Bank. A sub-Branch is opened at Bickley near Bromley in 1923, but the Bank closes it in 1928 and opens another at Otford, near Sevenoaks. Until 1931, it is a sub-Branch under the control of Swanley. The parent branch then changes to Sevenoaks. In the end however, Otford fares little better than Bickley, being open only until 1936. The opening hours for Otford sub-Branch – seen listed here in Kellys Directory of Kent (© 1930) - cover a six day banking week – which along with having its own telephone line is often a sign of a brisk trade at a small Branch – but this is still not enough to save Otford. If you can help with memories or images of this or any of the 970+ buildings that are used by Martins Bank as Branches, please do get in touch with us at the usual address gutinfo@btinternet.com.
Title: Type: Address: Index Number and District: Hours: Telephone: Services: Manager:			11-732 Otford Sub to 11-784 Swanley – 1928-1930 Sub to 11-732 Sevenoaks – 1931-1936 Sevenoaks Road Otford Kent 430 London Mon to Fri 1100-1530 Saturday 0930-1130 Otford 65 Counter Service Only Mr N F Harris Manager (Sevenoaks)
30 June 1928 1931 16 July 1936		opened by Martins Bank Limited Parent Branch changed from Swanley to Sevenoaks Closed