Firearms/Shooting/RFD friendly banking

[A.J.P.]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to set up a new account with a bank which, in the long term, will serve me when I go into business as an RFD. In the short term I would like to lodge my money with an institution which is at least ambivalent towards shooting sports etc. My current bank is the Co-Op which, alongside it's current financial woes has traditionally been anti on "ethical" grounds. I'd like to move my money and stop lining their pockets for obvious reasons.

An article in this month's Gun Mart by the Sportsman's Association touches upon the issue of banks and their relationships with RFD's and other organisations. If anyone has advice or personal experience to pass on I'd be grateful.


Cheers,

Adam

[Christel]

From experience...no such thing.

Mention guns and the banks run.

[dromia]

I'm with Santander not by choice but because they took over the Alliance and Leicester who were at the time one of the few banks that would take on a gun business.

Santander are awful to deal with but I haven't worked up the energy to try the debilitating task of finding one to move to, my experience is that all banks are sh!te to deal with and if you are an RFD then those that want your business is limited.

[Christel]

Problem is that in general the bank's attitude towards guns have worsened. So the RFDs who has a bank account, count yourself lucky.
Us who has just started out are struggling getting a bank account.

Worse still...it looks like all bank transfers from the 1st of January 2014, with a shooting related reference are stopped by the banks.

[Mike357]

Hate to link to another forum but there is a good article on UKV here http://ukvarminting.com/forums/topic/22 ... -firearms/

I have just set up a business account and I wish there was a branch of Handelsbanken closer to me as I like the sound of there attitude to banking.

[Christel]

Handelsbanken said yes to us...if we had a yearly turn over of £1 million. We are not quite there yet tongueout

[Christel]

Mike, link all you want.

Everything that is mentioned is that link has been looked at by us. No one wanted our business once firearms were mentioned, apart from Handelsbanken...see previous post.

[saddler]

I thought that SOME of the banks had rifle clubs as part of their staff sporting/social activities, with some also having a permanent presence at Bisley?

I've also seen some banks that had a physical presence in terms of mobile bank units in attendance at game fairs and other country shows.

I'd look at such names first with a view to giving them my business

[Christel]

If one does only trade in shooting related items (eg no guns) then one can get a bank account, I'm guessing.

Trading in guns...then you are up there with pornography and lap dancers. No disrespect by the way.

[Individual]

Worse still...it looks like all bank transfers from the 1st of January 2014, with a shooting related reference are stopped by the banks.

Christel....can I ask where you heard that? If that does happen we should certainly start a blacklist of banks that shooters should avoid and make sure that it is well publiscised. I will definately move my account the first time my bank stops a legitimate tranfer for some arbitrary reason.

The banks only do this kind of thing as long as they think it won't hurt their bottom line.


(no wait...someone will be along in a minute to claim its all because of the EU tesnews )