C&G traces its roots to the Cheltenham & Gloucestershire Permanent Mutual Benefit Building and Investment Association. Starting in 1850, this association was based in Cheltenham and opened its first Gloucester branch in 1896. In the next 80 years, the building society expanded throughout Britain and marked a ‘century’ of branches in 1979 with the opening of a branch in Pershore. It grew in size through acquisitions throughout the 1980s, when the consolidation of the entire banking sector intensified.
The acquisition strategy stopped when Lloyds Bank offered to buy them in 1997. When the building society was overtaken by the group, demutualization took place and the members enjoyed windfall payments. With Lloyds Bank backing them, C&G mortgages are designed and marketed by Cheltenham & Gloucester while Lloyds TSB Bank lends the funds. However on the savings front, Cheltenham & Gloucester functions more or less as an extension of Lloyds TSB Bank.
With Cheltenham & Gloucester saving accounts, consumers have five great choices. These are listed below:
· Classic Accounts: These accounts offer free access to the account funds and let the consumer decide the frequency of interest, monthly or annually. Though there are many sub-variants of classic accounts, most of them let the consumer withdraw up to £1,000 a day.
· Bonus Accounts: These accounts offer tiered interest rates therefore the more the consumer deposits, the more interest he generates.
· Cash ISAs: Consumers can open this account with £100 and enjoy tax free savings.
· Fixed Rate Accounts: These have different terms and can be opened with as low as £500.
· Children’s Saving Accounts: This account offers instant withdrawals if they are for children’s benefit. Interest is paid annually.
All Cheltenham & Gloucester accounts can be managed by post or phone.