HSBC trumpets that it is the ‘world’s local bank’, a claim that rings hollow with conveyancing solicitors and their clients. Having chosen a panel with just 43 members - thereby severely circumscribing a client’s right to choose their own solicitor - the bank won’t even say who those members are.

We know Wales has just one. How ‘local’ is that? And there has been serious confusion over the prospect of appeals. What a mess. One difficulty in holding HSBC to account is just this: it isn’t the Midland anymore. Europe’s biggest bank has a market cap which exceeds that of Lloyds, RBS and Barclays put together. 2011’s £14bn annual profit was among the biggest ever reported by a British company. Indeed, given that HSBC operates in 90 countries, it is arguable whether the bank is really accountable to anyone but its shareholders.

But is this defeatist talk? One way to get bankers to listen is to ‘continually hit [them] where it hurts - profit and brand’, one web commenter told the Gazette. Perhaps. And direct action can work against daunting odds. Consider Tesco’s abrupt U-turn on the government’s workfare scheme amid a Twitter storm.

The message is: ‘If you don’t act, they won’t take any notice.’ Why would they?