A customer, referred to as Mr J, complained to NatWest about Pride-themed materials in his local branch, claiming they caused him distress due to his religion and disabilities. The bank rejected his complaint, stating that it had a right to display such materials. Mr J escalated the issue to the Financial Ombudsman Service, but the ombudsman ruled in favor of NatWest, emphasizing that the bank can celebrate LGBTQ+ communities and offered online banking as an alternative. NatWest has been recognized for its inclusivity by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall.
NatWest is a bank that has chosen to display Pride materials along with other paraphernalia at certain times of the year. As a service, we wouldn't be able to tell them not to do that, as they are entitled to celebrate and raise awareness to the communities they service.
If the branch's right to display the materials offended Mr J, NatWest provided "alternative methods of banking," such as online banking, ATMs or the Post Office.
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