How to (not) open an English Bank account. Done.

I should have posted this well over a week ago. Within days of applying for bank accounts, I now have two: one with Lloyds TSB, and one with Barclays.

Lloyds were first off the mark, with a debit card and cheque book in the post, while Barclays arrived four days later. The lesson? Well, aside from feeling all chocolaty inside, I suppose there’s the obvious: 1^st Contact may do a good service, but your options aren’t limited. If you don’t mind the wait, save yourselves the thirty pounds and you’ll have no problems getting your account the old fashioned way: for free.