HSBC - What a bunch of to**ers!

Now I am a reasonable man.
It's a rare occasion on which I get angry, but today HSBC managed to do it.
In a previous blog entry I described the burglary: One of the items in my wallet was an HSBC credit card. Not a card that Iuse very often, but one that I wanted to keep. In the aftermath of the burglary I reported the card stolen, and was assured that a replacement card would be sent. Over the last few days I've received my replacement RBS card, MBNA card even my Nectar card but from HSBC nothing!
Then a letter arrived from HSBC saying that as my card was nearing its expiry date and because I used it so infrequently as a convenience to me they would not be replacing it unless I specifically asked them to. As I did want to keep the card I rang the number provided and that's when the whole shambles started.
After waiting around 1/2 a minute the automated response asked me to key in my credit card number - I did that. The disembodied voice then asked for my date of birth so I keyed that in. Short pause and then I am told that I cannot use this service as I do not have a security number - but wait ..... I rang the number they gave me, I entered the information they requested, they have never given me a security number - so press 4 to ask for a human being to speak to me. Sure enough a human does come on the line, a very polite female who asks me for all the information I've just keyed and what the issue is. I explain and then she tells me that I need to be transferred to the credit card department - but wait .... That is the number I called in the first place in response to a letter from the credit card department.
Never mind I get transferred to another human being, this time a well spoken man who is polite to the point of obsequiousness. I explain that I do wish to renew my card, at which he tells me that he needs to take me through some security questions so once again I give my name, my date of birth etc etc. He then asks for the expiry date of my previous card. I tell him that the whole reason for the call is that my previous card was stolen, that HSBC know that and it is at their insistence that I am making the telephone call in the first place!
Because I cannot tell them the expiry date of the previous card, which they have already accepted was stolen I am now told that I must go into a local HSBC branch with proof of my identity.
Result HSBC loose a customer.