A rather large HSBC store on Park Row in the Financial Quarter of Leeds in the city centre, from…read morethe outside seeing this bank at first I just said "Wow", with this HSBC store really standing out in its' location due to being a huge building for a bank which generally doesn't have many branches like this. Opening hours are slightly better than average being open Monday through to Saturday between 9 and 6, albeit they open half an hour later on Tuesday (Strange as most banks open later on Wednesday's for training), and they close an hour earlier on a Saturday's, this is better than average for the area but still lacking compared to B (a brand by Yorkshire Bank) and Metro Bank stores, albeit none of them has branches in Leeds. Booking an appointment at this branch whether it's for a mortgage advisor or set up an account is pretty hard, they often require booking over two weeks in advance (compared to other banks, you can often walk in and get an account the same day, or at least within a day or two or digital banks such as Monzo which you can join from your home in under five minutes), and even then the times are limited and they only seem to let you decide between four times unless you wait another week again. - Considering this bank has longer than average opening hours to have such limited choice in appointments with the latest time always being two hours before they close, is a pretty poor show. A decent large branch of HSBC with good facilities, staff could be a little friendlier (average staff), and the appointment process needs dealing with better. 3*

This is a review of the of Park Row branch in Leeds City Centre…read more I opened a business account with HSBC last year and received okay service. Unfortunately my account manager entered my details wrong which lead to the entire account needing re-addressing and a lot of inconvenience for me, though after this was resolved service has been okay. Upon entering the building you're greeted by a member of staff, which at first seems welcoming but as a regular visitor can grind a little! The self-service machines for paying cheques in is pretty good, usually takes the heat off counter staff. Their business side is generally welcoming with staff greeting everytime and tea/coffee on offer whenever you meet with your account manager. The best thing about business banking compared with other banks is that the account is free for 3 years, and there is only a small fee for cashing cheques (which only occurs after you've reached your 20-something limit per month). Overall a decent bank offering friendly service.

I know what you're thinking. You know what Barclays is like, you have been a multitude of times,…read moreand reading this will be ultimately nugatory. But halt, I have regional differences to report. My Dad stayed at a hotel a few years ago and when questioned on its calibre, he replied "It was quite good really, great breakfast. CRACKING atrium!" Such was his passion and fervour, that it elevated my personal appreciation for the glass structure. I remain alert to any sightings, and send pictorial evidence to my father immediately. The new branch of Barclays has a superb atrium, and reminds me slightly of a spaceship. A tip though, don't ask to withdraw space doubloons. You will be very politely, but also hastily ushered out of the door. The staff I have encountered over the years at this branch, have been extremely helpful and approachable. Whether it was to discuss savings, open an ISA or merely investigate my lack of fiscal input, I have always felt like a valued customer.

Well this is the fanciest and most high-tech looking bank I have ever seen. This branch recently…read moremoved from a few doors up the street into this new bigger and shinier version of Barclays. Inside it feels really spacious and there is someone to greet you at the door and point you in the right direction according to what you need. Last time I went in to set up a standing order the initial member of staff put my name into an electronic thing that presumably connects to the upstairs staffs same electronic gadget thingys to establish some kind of que. Unfortunately this 'system' broke so we had to do it the old fashioned way and remember who had arrived before us as we sat on the semi-circle of sofas. There is definitely a nicer atmosphere in this branch than the older one.

situated in armley onestop center ( old armley library, well library is still there also)…read moregreat way to bank/get loans etc if no other bank will have you , for example if you dont have the corrrect id or wont pass a credit check. helpful, freindly staff & welcoming building allow at least 15 mins as there are only two counters & can be a que. check out the credit union website for more details & a full list of services. http://www.leedscitycreditunion.co.uk/content.asp?section=1

Located in the "old" part of Leeds, on the Trinity side close to Victoria Leeds on King Edward…read moreStreet, this Halifax like many nearby stores and coffee-shops has the black and gold signage, dating back to the Victorian time of the buildings, so it doesn't exactly look like a traditional branch of Halifax, which is one of the largest banks in the UK. The branch is a decent size with decent facilities, although inside it is a little dark and certainly isn't the nicest bank nor even Halifax location in the city for that matter out of three in the city centre LS1 area. The store is open Monday to Saturday between 9 and 5, albeit they open half an hour later on Wednesday, and close at 2 pm on a Saturday. Closing that early on a weekend for me is pretty ridiculous considering it is right in the centre of Leeds, they do have a branch nearby on Commerical Street which is open later (until 4), but surely for a big city centre of arguably the largest city in West Yorkshire, and one of the largest in the entire Yorkshire and Humber region, alongside the likes of Sheffield, this just isn't good enough? The staff seemed too busy, even though the store wasn't - perhaps this was down to the store being slightly understaffed again, this would work in a smaller town but not a big city centre again. With a branch like this, no wonder they need two other branches around the city centre, with many other banks in a large city (excluding London of course) normally only having one big branch, or around two maximum, surely splitting it across two larger branches which have more staff would be a good idea? Not terrible as it does have some average facilities and unique features but it is let down by many reasons including the lack of staff and opening hours. 2*

A fairly modern branch for Lloyds Bank standards opposite the Victoria Quarter and just a couple of…read moreminutes away from Trinity Leeds, on Briggate in the city centre. Inside, the branch is quite spacious with a decent number of machines as well as a small area (perhaps too small) with two pads you could log on to, to do some online banking - I would have prefered a bigger digital focuses area and perhaps more space in-between both devices for privacy reasons dealing with confidential banking data however. It is probably one of the better banks in Leeds which isn't in the Financial Quarter (HSBC and Natwest), for being large, modern and pretty much average as what you'd expect a bank to me - sadly Leeds does have various sub-par banks I have also reviewed from Santander to Yorkshire Bank, and even Halifax who are a member of the same banking group as this one. The opening hours are quite good, although it isn't open on Sunday like 99% of banks in England, during the week they're open between 9 am and 6 pm which is surely amongst the best in the city, only closing an hour earlier on a Saturday, and opening half an hour later on a Wednesday. A spacious branch of Lloyds, relatively modern with good opening hours, pretty much has everything you'd expect from an average bank without going overboard - some improvements do need to be made such as a friendlier welcome from the host, perhaps dealing with queues a little quicker and having a larger online banking space similar to Manchester - Market Street branch for example, but still in contention for a solid 3*.