Lloyd's Tsb bank is situated on the Market Cross next to Barclay's bank. After Lloyd's acquired TSB…read moreseveral years ago the branch was extended to the clean spacious building it is today. I have to say I like Lloyd' s Tsb although I liked it better before they merged with TSB as I'd known the staff for years and when as companies merge you often loose a few staff. There are 5 counters there which all open when it is busy (no really they do) Lloyd's have this policy of when there are more that 2 people in front of you they open another counter; and if they are all open you are encouraged to pay in cheques/pay bills in the envelopes provided to save time. Unlike some banks clerks who avoid eye contact and carry on working behind the reinforced glass screens. Like most banks they have the same facilities but unlike some the staff are really friendly and you don't need an appointment if you want to open a standing order, another account or just need advice. There are several small offices where you can discuss your banking business in private. The Banks good but the staff make the branch.

Located on Pavement and York, this Lloyds Bank branch might be located in an old building but…read morethey've done quite a good job bringing the store into the 21st century, making it feel welcoming, spacious and modern. The store has a large amount of comfortable seating, and an emphasis on technology with high bar-style tables with tablets on, of which you can use the Lloyds Bank online banking application. In a way it feels like the store is slightly too big so space is wasted, staff don't seem as friendly or eager to help and there could easily be more cash machines for basic banking activities due to the size of the branch. The store does have free wi-fi which is pretty common of most high-street banks in the UK. Overall, it is a comfortable, spacious branch with the main downfalls being service and space utilisation. 3*

I love this branch of Lloyd s TSB, right in the center of the square and an impressive building -…read morebanking as it used to be. There are cash points outside which make it nice and handy for your shopping or so you can nip over the road to M&S for lunch and there are more cash points inside. It is a really high ceiling ed branch with lovely architrave details (if you happen to be looking at the ceiling that is). The staff are always really friendly and they open on a Saturday so if that's the only time you can get into see them somebody will be free - be warned though there are always a lot of tourists in the summer so there may be a queue. A lovely branch though and great service.

My bank. Part of the HSBC group…read more I can not recommend this bank highly enough. One of my favorite things is having my call answered by a human being 24 hours a day all year round. The more you use this bank, the more convenient it gets. If you've made the payment before, you could quite simply phone them up, go through security, and say "I'd like to pay british gas, £39 from my current account, thank you" job done. They also sent me a case of wine when I signed up for my credit card a few years ago. The staff are attentive and always keen to help.No pushy up-selling. HIGHLY recommended.

First Direct is a brilliant bank…read more I moved to the UK when I was 32. From the moment I arrived I heard horror stories from other expats about the difficulties they had setting up bank accounts. With no prior address, utility bill, or credit history they were often laughed right out of high street banks. I spotted ads for First Direct at the time that were promoting them as the UK's first virtual bank, with all interactions processed online, by phone, or by post. With nothing to lose, I applied for a current account online. They immediately gave me one. They set me up quickly and professionally with no fuss at all. They asked me if I wanted a credit card and gave me a generous limit. I continue to be with First Direct, 7 years and counting, and have always found them to be excellent. If you ring them you get a human being right away, and after answering a couple of security questions they're happy to help you. They keep a close watch on my account and card activities and always ring up if they see anything suspicious. Their web site is easy to use and comprehensive. I've used it for credit card limit increases, savings accounts, foreign currency, and several foreign transfers. First Direct are a subsidiary of HSBC, so if you do need to go into a branch to speak to someone or make a deposit you can do it at any HSBC branch. First Direct had an ad campaign a couple of years ago saying they were the UK's most recommended bank. Everyone I know that uses them feels the same as I do. They're tops.

One of the many banks on Sheffield's Fargate, this HSBC store is located close to Three and…read moreopposite Virgin Money in the centre of town. It is a fairly spacious branch but a lot of that space just seems to be empty space - it isn't too nice or modern and it just isn't utilised well. Good staffing levels but the staff didn't seem too friendly or eager to help. They had one of the larger selections of banking machines / ATM's compared to other nearby banks which I liked. The branch opening hours are slightly confusing but they remain pretty much average, including better than many banks nearby including Lloyds - On most days they open at 9 and close at 6 including on Saturday with the only difference being that they close at 5 pm on Thursday's and Saturday's, and open half an hour later on Tuesday's. In terms of ATM levels and opening hours one of the best banks in the city, in terms of overall feel it is lacking to my favourite banks in Sheffield which include nearby Halifax, Natwest and Virgin Money stores, despite being the fourth best in overall feel, it is amongst the best in other factors so is pretty much A-OK. 3*

Now, with the state of the economy, I'd normally be the first one to give the banks a good verbal…read moreshoeing but with this branch of HSBC, I really have nothing to say. It's fully equipped with all the latest fancy paying in machines which sometimes have a queue, but the front of house staff are always working hard to help people out and keep the queues moving. The financial teams are also wonderful if you ever have a query or want to change something to do with your account and there really is no hard-sell. Keep it up HSBC!

This is a fantastic PROPER building society (it is still a mutual owned by the members) on victoria…read morestreet next to subway and opposite house of fraser. It is a corner unit and is pretty small but they make good use of the little space available. The windows display plenty of information about the services they offer and there are some very good deals on - as always expected from an organisation that isn't pandering to the shareholders. Inside is well laid out and the staff are really nice and helpful. They are always welcoming and will engage in a little chat while dealing with you. If you need any assistance or information regarding products on offer there is always someone available that can help. The products they do have are far superior to those offered by the majority of the banks. Highly recommended.

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.