Has anyone had any experiences with switching bank accounts, good or bad?

Long story short: As a not for profit club, we had a community account. After receiving charity status a few months ago, I went into our bank and asked if we would have to compete any further paperwork, now that we've become a recognised charity. I was told we would. After speaking with someone at the bank, who told me that they can change the profile and we can keep the same account number. He said he would pass it on to the people that deal with it and they would be in touch to arrange for all the formalities to be carried out, paperwork etc. We then finish putting together our sponsorship packages and put in our applications for funding. 

This morning I get a phone call saying that 'the people upstairs' have said we will have to open up a brand new account and after explaining that all the applications and sponsorship brochures have been sent out with our current account details, I was told there was nothing that can be done. I was also told that any funding received, cannot be paid into our current account I just don't understand why the account profile can't be changed? 

Surely there must be other organisations that have started off with community accounts and have eventually registered to become charities?