Anyone remember this???

Niteflyer

ACCESS CARD

Access was a credit card introduced in 1972 in the UK by four major banks, NatWest, Midland, Lloyds & The Royal Bank of Scotland as a rival to the established Barclaycard. It was also issued in the Republic of Ireland, by banks including Ulster Bank, a NatWest subsidary, and Bank of Ireland, a public limited company unconnected to the founder banks. One of the slogans was: 'Your flexible friend'. The Access brand disappeared in the 1990s, becoming part of Mastercard.

Ahhhh brings back memories


Matt

buses7675

Does you does or does you don't take Access!

Great slogan - Think some of the shops around here still do have the signs lurking about!

Karma67

Ahh i remember Access...was given to me by Lloyds when i was 18 and a student nurse....thus began my debt troubles!

bob_builder_2

SWITCH CARD!

In 1988, Midland Bank, National Westminster Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland joined forces to launch the Switch Card Scheme. The Switch brand disappeared in the 2000s, becoming part of Maestro (Mastercard).

Sound familiar?

s.c.

The Access card was always allied to Mastercard, because the first UK style cedit card the Barclacard was allied to Visa ( it's called competition.). The only other cards were Amex and Diners Club which were charge cards, charged hefty annual fee and had to be cleared each month. ( Amex Patinum fee is £275 per annum)

Access was run by Natwest from Southend ( familiar address?), and was ditched when all the banks wanted to expand their separate corporate identities. RBS who took over Natwest still use Southend.

You have Access to thank for compound interest, ie interest payable even after you have paid your card off.
Barclays at the time and into the seventies used simple interest. When you paid your card off that was it, just a following statement that said outstanding balance was £00.00

Used to complain to Access that someone working abroad would never be able to clear their account because it took weeks for mail to go round the world by ship. The reply was "We dont charge interest on interest sir!". How times have changed. :rolleyes:

edda

I'm trying to remember who did the voice over for the Access adverts on tv in the 1970s ...

raptorz

Where I work payments still go under 'Visa & Access'.