Cheers! Smile mixes booze and banking

Internet bank Smile.co.uk is considering a number of spin-offs from its main banking website, including selling energy and alcohol.

Smile, part of the Co-Op Group, is mulling the wine, beer and spirits option of a link off its main banking web page to an ecommerce operation run by the Co-Op, which also runs Smile.

Other plans, still at the drawing board stage, include share-buying and an ecommerce site for utility purchases. They may be ready for Christmas, a Smile spokesman told vnunet.com.

He said: "Alcohol can be very heavy to carry back from the shops. We're a Smile brand, and not having to carry that weight fits in with the Smile brand."

He also stressed the new moves would by no means alter the operation's focus on providing a quality e-bank with strong customer services.

Smile's customer service recently received praise from the Consumers Association.

The internet bank claims to have 450,000 customers.