Cooperative Bank - We Don't Want Your Business

I completed the Cooperative Bank's online application form for a current account. My partner has been one of the Bank's account holders for over 30 years. He also has a current account with Smile, part of the Cooperative Bank, who advised this course of action.

On 13 November 2007 I received a letter from Jon Bowen, who calls himself 'Head of Sales'. The letter began:

'I am delighted to tell you that subject to a few formalities, we have approved your application in principle.'

On 14 November 2007 the same Jon Bowen, who overnight had changed his job title to 'Head of Direct Sales', wrote:

'After careful consideration we are unable to open the account that you requested'.

Mr Bowen is clearly a very confused man.

I phoned the number the bank provided on its two letters to be informed by a very pleasant young woman who said her name was Natalie, that Mr Bowen doesn't have a telephone number and that if I wanted to contact him I would have to write a letter.

I will be writing to ask Mr Bowen for an explanation and will include the cut up Cooperative Bank credit card of my partner who has been one of it's customers for over thirty years.