Kitchen Garden Forum

Two years ago, I moved to a 110 plot allotment site, where only seven plots were actively being used. Since then, membership has leaped to more than 40, with a totally new profile of plotholder moving in. Nowadays, in place of old codgers, we have young families and single women.
Anyway, we have had to move from a biscuit-tin society to one wielding a bank account. As recently elected Treasurer I have been tasked with setting an account up. The procedure for doing so is bizarre to say the least and culminated this morning in a surreal exchange over the phone with our chosen bank, which wanted a copy of our Business Plan and projects for the coming years. Having previously spoken to somebody on their help line regarding this, I had been urged, given the lack of supporting documentation, to write a letter to the bank explaining exactly what it is that we, as an association, do. So I did, pointing out that we collected subs from our members, banked this and paid maybe two or three bills a year. When the bank said this wasn't sufficient, I rang up to ask exactly what it was they wanted me to say.
"What does your allotment association do?" I was asked. When I again explained that we looked after our members' interests, I was once more asked to detail what happened on an allotment: What was it that allotment holders do? "We grow fruit and vegetables," I said. "Yes, but what do you do with the fruit and vegetables?" Suspecting that the young lady on the end of the phone didn't believe me, I paused before pointing out the obvious: "We eat them," I noted. "Ah, but do you sell them?" she asked. "Of course not," I replied, "that is strictly forbidden; allotment holders aren't allowed to financially benefit from what they produce; that would be a small holding." "Oh, that's all right then," she replied.
The conversation was daft, given that I had already had to point out on the application form that we were a non-profit making association!
I think I am right in that allotments are not allowed to sell produce other than to help finance their activities. Am I right? Doesn't allotment imply not selling produce? Our Council strictly forbids this.
Apparently, I had to clear up the point regarding sales since we might have been money laundering! We only want to bank around £600.00 a year. We put proceeds from our crack cocaine business in a wholly different account....

Hi Barry,
Many years ago when I was starting up on my own my accountant and I went to see a particular bank manager in order to open an account. That was the way then. This bank manager said to me I will give you 5 minutes to tell me why I should accept you as a customer. With that he took his watch off and then sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. I got up and left the room and left my accountant to face the manager when he opened his eyes. After a very brief argument I sacked my accountant. I wrote to the bank manager and told him what an arrogant bastard he was and to my surprise he wrote back and said he would be pleased to have me as a customer. I wrote back to say that sadly I would not trust him to look after my money and that I had become the customer of a bank that welcomed new customers and were prepared to help and advise new businesses enterprises.
Times have changed somewhat now but I have as little to do with banks as possible and, who today, are a real load of 'Tricky Dickie's' and must be watched like hawks.
JB.

Johnboy
Good for you! I would love to have been a fly on the wall! The banks have had too much power for too long and just look how they've abused it by doing business so irresponsibly.
We have had two allotments in the past (many years ago) and I don't recall either of them imposing restrictions on plot holders about selling their surplus produce but of course it's quite possible that the "Jobsworths" who are responsible for Council-owned allotments have stepped in and tightened up the rules since then. I'm not sure how anybody would know anyway if a plot holder sold their produce. I imagine you would probably just do a private deal with your local greengrocer or do what is often done in rural areas and just put the stuff on a table near your front gate.

A friend of mine in the West Midlands takes surplus produce into work, leaves it on a table and invites colleagues to make a contribution if they take any. Effectively, this helps her cover all her costs on her own plot, without actually selling anything!

My surprise at the bank's questioning of me revolves around the need to ask somebody whether they are trading off the allotment or what. You actually have to put this down in writing prior to being given an account. On the whole, allotment holders do consume what they produce and usually give the surplus away.

Hi Barry,

So you still have about 70 vacant plots then? A bit different to down here. I got myself on the waiting list for one the other day. I'm behind 5 or 6 others on the list and there are only about 20 or so plots in all.
I'm wondering if I'll get one before I'm too bloody old to work it

Dear Barry,
go to a building society for your account. They are MUCH easier to deal with for small scale finances like this.

On our site we have 40 plots and 100 people on the waiting list.... The people at the end of this list will BE 100 before they get a plot!
Regards Sally Wright.

Maybe you could try going to a local credit union for your account. They are a non profit organisation and are accountable to the FSA. You can pay money in and also pay bills with them. What profit they do make goes towards loans with low interest rates so you could also borrow small amounts if you should need to.

The National Allotment Society may also be able to help on the account front too, as i'm sure it's a common problem.

I, too, have a personal deep hatred an loathing of banks.......can't stand the buggers

Many years ago when I was getting divorced and I had never had my own bank account. (strange ex husband only had the bank account in his name) I went to open an account with the same bank account that my then husband had an account with.

The bank manager was really quite rude to me at the time. But because I was very young and didn't know any better I carried on and opened an account. Following that my father died and left me some money so I put it towards a car. Then I was made redundant. I had a loan and the first thing I did was to go to the bank and explain what the situation was. I asked if I could pay the interest off until I got a job and then catch up.

This snotty bank manager told me in no uncertain terms that he would not even think about it. And to go away and when I could not pay the next installment then I could come back and he would look at it again.

I walked out of that room. Went to the counter and closed my account with them. I borrowed the money from another bank, (which was not alot) and paid off the loan.

And I learned a few lessons on the way.