Metro Bank

Pretty nice bank, I like their way of doing things which is very different from the traditional high street banks. Also their debit card (which is a Debit MasterCard with PayPass) comes with no foreign currency fees within Europe.
But be careful when using their ATMs with a foreign card for withdrawals. The Metro Bank ATM (operated by Note Machine) will offer debiting the account in your home currency. Do not accept this as an unfavourable exchange rate will be applied. Let your own bank do the currency conversion instead so have the transaction carried out in GBP (choose «Continue without conversion»).

(Metro Bromley)
I had over £160 in coins that I wanted to change into notes and Bekki at the desk was really helpful. Usually I would have done this at my own bank, Barclays, but they were closed for a refurb. Natwest turned me away, as did RBS but thankfully Metro helped me out and sorted it all out for me
If I was looking at opening an account/​joining a bank/​changing banks, I would definitely consider going with Metro

So I am not a UK residence and am only commenting on my experience with their customer service as a tourist who visited this bank and does not have an actual account with them.
— - -
First of all. I’m not the smartest tourist that ever visited London. My reason being that I didn’t bring nearly enough money or travelers checks, and I don’t have an international chip-​n-​pin credit card. Long story short, I ran out of money after about three days in this VERY expensive city. This entire event happened on a Saturday (also not the best day to run out of money anywhere as banks are usually closed or have early closing hours on the weekend. I slept in, so it’s not around 3pm on a Saturday).
I walked in to Metro Bank, which is open 24 hours. Awesome. The bank itself is pretty sexy, modern, clean. I walked up to the tellers, who were all fairly young and attractive and smiling, I might add. There was no wait either, score! A guy named Jack asked me what I needed help with and I explained my touristy predicament. He told me to try the Sainsbury (a grocery store) across the street to see if I could get money back with my American credit card. He said that I could try using the ATM’s at Metrobank but that they might swallow my card and that if that happened he wouldn’t be able to retrieve it.
I thanked him and tried Sainsbury, and while they did accept my American credit card to purchase a pack of gum (along with the 3% foreign exchange rate), I was not able to get money back. Bummer.
I went back to MetroBank and told Jack what happened. He asked what kind of cards I had and so I handed him my Amex, Visa and Mastercard. He apparently had never seen a see-​through Amex card before and presumed to show it’s «coolness» off to the rest of his young bank-​teller friends (no my card info was not compromised). He then told me to try the money exchange places at Leicester Square. He even looked up the directions on his computer for me and told me how to get there by foot or by tube (subway).
I got to Leicester Square via his directions (just one stop on the tube from Holborn) and found a FREE CASH WITHDRAWALS atm, these are all over the city and are AMAZING. I was able to get money out with my Union Bank of California debit card (Mastercard) with no issues.
Like I said, I don’t know how the rest of this bank works but this guy seriously saved my dumb, tourist butt on a Saturday when I had no idea where to go, what to do or what was around me. So I’d say for customer service Metrobank is the best I’ve ever experienced and I don’t even have an account with them. Thanks guys!

Indeed, I‘ve been a Co-​op Bank customer for 50 years. Now look what has happened to them. However the Metro Bank are opening a new Branch in Epsom soon.
I know bankers and their bonuses are a thorny issue, but surely we should judge each by the branch that serves us. I rang Metros Customer line and the young lady their replied and listened very patiently to my wittering’s. Next I shall attend the opening of the Epsom Branch. Wait for more reviews!

It just goes to show that there are some very damaged individuals posting on theses sites. Like the four 1 star reviewers below. Because this bank is trying very, very hard to different to the other high street banks. They answer the telephone no automated systems, they have a call centre based in Holborn not Delhi, and the staff are unfailingly polite.
So, to give them one star regardless just like HSBC, Natwest, Barclays and the other banks is just plain mean spirited. Join this bank, it’s the best thing you’ll do this week.

Metro Bank eröffnete die erste Filiale Ende Juli 2010 an der Kreuzung Southampton Row/​High Holborn. Diese Eröffnung, hinter der ein US-​amerikanischer Milliardär als Investor steckt, wurde von einem großen Medienhype begleitet.
Die Metro Bank versucht nämlich, anders zu sein. Die Filiale ist 361 Tage im Jahr geöffnet, also auch sonntags und an den meisten gesetzlichen Feiertagen.
Wenige Minuten nach Kontoeröffnung — für die man einen Personalausweis oder Pass, zwei Nachweise der Adresse (z.B. Rechnungen, Council tax-​Bescheinigung, Mietvertrag, NHS-​Karte) und ggf. Verdienstnachweise braucht — kann man bereits eine MasterCard-​Debitkarte in Händen halten, denn diese werden in der Filiale frisch gemacht.
Die Münzzählmaschinen heißen Magic Money Machine und wenn man den Wert der Münzen errät, kann man kleine Fanartikel wie Schlüsselanhänger und Spardosen gewinnen. Und für Kunden, die ihren Wauwau mitnehmen, gibt es kostenfreie Hundeknochen.
Den Student current account gibt es allerdings erst ab Dezember, da die Bank sich noch im Aufbau befindet. Die Metro Bank finde ich trotzdem erfrischend anders und für die guten Ansätze gibt es vier Sterne.
(Man muss aber Geduld mitbringen. Die Automaten befinden sich ausschließlich innerhalb der Bank, nachts muss man die Tür also mit einer Karte öffnen, teilweise ist die Öffnung verzögert, meine deutsche Visa-​Karte mögen die Automaten nicht, die Magic Money Machine muss fast immer manuell durch einen Bankangestellten gestartet werden, mir wurde anfangs eine falsche IBAN gegeben… Braucht wohl noch Zeit, um zu reifen.)