I didn't realise UK transfers connected a fee? You aren't linked into the SEPA system for banking?

Anyway, thanks for pointing out the P2P methods of buying. I knew of them, but have been quite hesitant to trust them. Glad that they have worked out well for you and that your problem was worked out quickly.

I can see that the speed and cost of BTC transfers would be a problem in these P2P situations, but it is much less of a problem when buying on an exchange. That said, the congestion is pretty low these days, so the speed and cost are pretty low, and the second layer (lightning) solutions are very promising. Also, the BTC is pretty much required for trading on altcoin exchanges. I'm too lazy to convert LTC to BTC before trading... Although, I was doing that when the congestion was high earlier in the year!