Queen's Bank and the £13,981 Overcharge

Advantages: Friendly, low customer-staff ratio
Disadvantages: Expensive, arrogant, and, in our experience, inefficient

...I first heard about Coutts & Co. while I was a banker in the States. I just couldn't imagine a bank where the male employees --- from doormen to directors --- wore frock coats and were clean shaven. Where the payee of each check was carefully printed on customers' monthly statement. Where leather cheque book covers holding oversized white cheques were the norm. Stamped with the Bank's logo in gold. When I heard about Coutts & Co. I wanted to be their customer. But what was the point in having an account in Sterling in London when you live in Hawaii? So my desire to have white cheques imprinted with my name would need to wait. It was my good fortune in April 1986 to marry Marjorie. Beautiful, charming, English, and a Lloyds Bank customer. My chance had come to correspond with the gentlemen at Coutts in London. I wrote to Coutts...

CraigWalsh 22.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of Coutts & Co.

The Royal Bankers

Advantages: well established, tailored service
Disadvantages: None

...Coutts & co. is the private international banking subsidiary of the royal bank of Scotland. The royal family banks with coutts and so does a number of the aristocracy. Coutts was a particular favorite of the late Queen Mother, and they managed all her private assets. Coutts has a international presence in most major countries, including America which I find particularly useful. Coutts offers a number of products and services. A coutts bank account offers professionals there own private banker and relationship manager. Who will offer you support and guidance whenever needed. The coutts bank account offers a Switch card with a 250-pound cheque guarantee facility. One of the good things about the account is that it is free as long as a balance of 3000 pounds is maintained; otherwise they charge a quarterly management fee of around...

redpen 26.04.2003 · Read review
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Review of Coutts & Co.

Premier service, where?s the premier price tag?

Advantages: Fee free, exclusive, enhanced interest rates, cheap overdraft, useful extras, excellent personalised customer service
Disadvantages: Exclusive

...A number of years ago now, I felt the need to set up bank accounts for both of my children (back in the day they used to receive their allowances in cash) Both me and my wife have always banked with Coutts, feeling the need to give our children the same kind of service that Coutts offers, but because Coutts don?t have many branches in London, and since they would be off to university, they needed to bank with an Institution with a national presence. So I came across the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (formally Midland Bank Plc) Since our local bank manager lives in the same street I bumped into him, while getting the paper and asked him about the services the bank offered (I know, wholly inappropriate on a Sunday morning!) to cut a long conversation short he suggested I visited the bank on Monday morning and applied...

redpen 02.08.2003 (14.08.2003) · Read review
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Review of HSBC

World Signia from MasterCard

Advantages: Exclusive. Only £265 per year.
Disadvantages: None

...I thought this a good opportunity to explain a little about this relatively unknown card for those who are interested. I was fortunate enough to be offered the World Signia by my bank, after having opened various accounts a couple of years earlier, and now feel, possessing one myself and various other so called ?prestige? cards, able to clarify the World Signia?s standinding in ?the plastic pecking order?. To give an initial impression of the clientele fortunate enough to be offered this, the said card is offered in England only by one bank, Coutts & Co. To open an account one must posses liquid assets of at least £500,000 anyway, so Coutts customers are not many in number. Furthermore, I can confirm that, although the card is offered at the discretion of ones private banker, the norm and standard customer to be offered the World...

daniels-mike 04.09.2003 · Read review
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Review of American Express

Flower power

Advantages: Lovely flowers and plants at great prices
Disadvantages: Can get very crowded

...This much-loved market has in recent years become a big tourist draw. However the original Columbia Road Market was a very different affair began by Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts. She was horrified at the dishonesty and crime of market traders in the 18th century and she intended this market to regulate trading and improve standards. It began in a mock gothic building financed by the Baroness who wasted her time and money. This enterprise was an abject failure within a very short time. The building was returned to the Baroness and demolished in 1960. Today’s market is the successor of this original idea. In the past the traders were locals who ran cottage industries and came to Columbia Road once a week to sell their produce. However today some of them come from all over the UK with some of their produce bought over from...

spankygoodtime 28.08.2001 · Read review
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Review of Columbia Road (London)

Fuelling the argument....

Advantages: For cheap (er) petrol, try using the Sainsbury's voucher scheme or B.P.
Disadvantages: Greedy fat-cats and a greedy Government

...a tax on it? YES, petrol prices are grossly unfair. But, being stoically British, we'll continue to pay these prices. Soon, if the trend continues, only Fatty Two-Jags with his Coutts bank account will be driving, levaing those of us who genuinely use and rely on our cars will be given the middle finger by the Government. That's why I'll be staying away from petrol stations on 1st of August; if you give two hoots about prices then I urge you to do the same. Maybe a quick slap in the wallet is what some of these greedy tycoons need to make them sit up and listen to the public. But here's a final thought...how many of you could GIVE UP your cars? Exactly.........

ndf9876 28.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Petrol Price Debate

The most exclusive card in the world- Centurion

Advantages: You know you've made it when your offered one
Disadvantages: Acceptability

...Card handy just incase. The world Signia MasterCard from Coutts is accepted with the same warm welcome as the Centurion card. The centurion team makes regular contact when there is unusual activity on my account. There service represents the pinnacle of exclusivity and customer service. There is no preset spending limit which is particularly good where purchasing large items (like cars, which the team are so used to me buying they don't every query the payment!!)- Although I haven?t yet attempted to buy a house on it!! I found this out through a friend who now lives in the US that this card can be used towards an US credit rating. For certain legal reasons credit cards can't. This could be a major advantage for anyone who is thinking of moving to the US. I wouldn't call the card snobbish, I am not a snob, I do however admit to...

redpen 28.04.2003 · Read review
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Review of American Express

In the future we won't be able to hear music created machines

Advantages: Vocals, Music, Unique sound, Lyrics
Disadvantages: Might be a lil too weird for some

...significantly since then, with Raine as the only mainstay in the band, with the current line up being Maida, Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts with bass and backing vocals, and Steve Mazur with guitar and more backing vocals. At the time of Spiritual Machines, the line up was Maida, Turner (who would leave the band as a full time member after the album), Taggart, Matt Cameron (who would fill in for Taggart on two tracks) and Coutts. The album was to follow OLP's 3 previous studio albums, in Naveed (1995), Clumsy (1997) and Hapiness... (1999), with it's own release in 2001. The title is taken from a science fiction book ?The age of Spiritual Machines? by Ray Kurzweil, who features in the album, the book was published in 1999. The books plot is based around the future of computing, relating the concepts of the author to the character...

iamasadlittleboy 18.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Spiritual Machines [ECD] - Our Lady Peace

Socialising and Networking

Advantages: Networking, Socialising, Free Career Development Training
Disadvantages: None

..., motivation, and excellent Motivational Trainers are secured for these events. A not to miss event this year, for me, is the Career Management lecture with Coutts. There are also conferences, which are opportunities to visit other countries, at discount prices, and enjoy a few days, of activity, similar to the activities above. Finally, GJCC have a new group formed, for those who have, or are thinking of starting their own business. For new members, someone from Chamber will meet you outside, and introduce you to other members, so no need to be apprehensive about joining on your own. For Glasgow, you can now join up via their website, I am not sure if all Junior Chamber's have this facility as yet. Alternatively, there are new member nights, when you can go along, meet the Chairperson, and other members, sit and have a bit of wine...

helencbradshaw 07.11.2001 · Read review
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Review of Junior Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to Midhurst - cursed no more!

Advantages: Interesting architecture and buildings. Fascinating history. Pleasant surrounding countryside.
Disadvantages: Heavy traffic through the town in summer months. Can be hard to park.

...an end, and it shall perish out of the land?. This gave rise to the legend of the Cowdray Curse, and history does record a fair share of tragedy befalling the Montagues over the ensuing years. The Montagues were prominent Catholics, and even employed a young Guy Fawkes in their household at one stage (although this did later result in a fine and 40 weeks imprisonment in the Tower of London for the 2nd Viscount Montague after the Gunpowder Plot was discovered!) The terrible fire at Cowdray House in 1793 just added more weight to the legend of the Cowdray Curse and the prophecy of death to the family by fire or water. The 8th Viscount Montague had proposed marriage to the daughter of the rich banker Sir Thomas Coutts. The Viscount decided to have the house refurbished ready for his impending nuptials, and he went off on holiday to...

Bollinger28 22.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Midhurst in General