Best bank for business banking (on micro scale)?

[merce]

I am self employed and started my own business a year ago. I opened an account with Barclays, but it appears that my first year of 'free banking' is at an end. Frankly 'free banking' is total misnomer anyway as they still have the gall to charge if I dare to pay in/write a cheque etc. Anyway, just wondered if anyone further down the line and more experienced than me could recommend a bank that they find helpful and fair in terms of charges. I put so little through my business it seems crazy to pay loads away in charges. Also I get fed up with the fact that you can't ever call a human being (unlike First Direct, say, who tragically don't do business banking). TIA.

We use Lloyds bank for business, we quite like it but it does have a monthly charge. You also do get a year free.

I don't have a business account. It's not compulsory. If all you are doing is paying in invoices and paying out tax and cash to your joint account, as I do, then there is no need at all for a business account. Your bank will tell you different of course, because they can make more money out of you!