An decent old-fashioned bank with a great basic bank account (Yorkshire Bank)

Member Name: gooeyuk

Product:	Yorkshire Bank
Date:	19/05/09 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great customer service, full-featured basic current account

Disadvantages: Can be hard to find a branch

I opened an account at Yorkshire as a "parachute" account while I am claiming fees back from my previous bank. However they've been great and the whole of my family now have accounts with them.

I have their Government-encouraged basic bank account ("Readycash") but even that gives a proper Maestro (Switch) card, direct debits, standing orders, internet and telephone banking, etc. It offers great features with no credit check (apart from a check that you aren't an undischarged bankrupt).

Their customer service is excellent with UK call centres and their in-branch staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. The Internet Banking is good but the security process is a little odd at first. I don't want to say too much about it for obvious reasons and it is easy to get used to; just odd at first.

It does come across as an old-fashioned bank; going into the branch does remind me of every other bank about 20 years ago. However in these "credit crunch" times that's possibly a good thing.

My chief criticism would be that it can be hard to find a branch. There's one in most of the towns around here (North of England but not in Yorkshire) but branches do seem fewer as you go south. However the ability to withdraw cash in a Post Office is very useful and not something I could do with my previous bank.

Summary: A good bank with good facilities but relatively few branches