David,
Would it help if someone who was born in this country was involved with the process of getting a bank account? If so, then please let me know if I can help (although note that I'm based in Manchester, and am in London fairly infrequently).
More generally, if there's anything I can do to help get Wikimedia UK up and running, them please let me know. I'm a PhD student in astronomy, but I'm good with computers/websites (e.g. I created the Young Enterprise North West website at http:// www.youngenterprisenw.org) and also administration in general.
Thanks, Mike Peel http://www.mikepeel.net/
On 28 Apr 2008, at 13:47, David Gerard wrote:
2008/4/28 Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com:
2008/4/28 Ian A. Holton poeloq@gmail.com:
Something to do with money laundering and the general inability of UK banks to be customer-friendly....
Does someone on the board have a guilty looking face, or something? Why would they suspect a company with next-to-no turnover of money laundering?
Have you ever tried to get a bank account as someone not born in the UK? I have. Took me six months, and I only got it because I got a job with a company used to getting bank accounts opened for its employees ... which meant I could finally deposit the cheque from work I'd done in the meantime.
It's not much easier for companies.
Our new treasurer, Paul, is slowly and painfully working through the bureaucracy. I'm sure his forehead will feel much better when he gets to stop banging his head against it ...
- d.
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