The North East’s biggest building society is set to move into a new home in South Shields’ Denmark Centre, close to the town’s new transport interchange.
Newcastle Building Society is creating a new full service and financial advice branch on the pedestrianised section of Mile End Road as part of an ongoing multi-million pound investment programme across its entire branch network.
Work has just begun on creating a modern and welcoming environment that offers local customers easy access to services, information and advice.
A community space will also form part of the new branch, and will provide a free location in which local people, groups and good causes can hold meetings and events.
The new branch, which will cover almost 1,800 sq ft across two floors, is scheduled to open its doors before the end of the year, with the Society’s present local branch on Fowler Street remaining open in the meantime.
North East contractor STP Construction has been appointed as the main contractor for the project.
Newcastle Building Society is more than two thirds of the way through an ambitious branch improvement programme which will see work on new or improved facilities in every part of its existing branch network and new branches being opened in a number of locations across the North East and North Yorkshire.
Stuart Miller, customer director at Newcastle Building Society, said: “We’re moving to a busy, pedestrian-friendly location in the centre of South Shields and can’t wait to welcome local customers into the new branch.
“While many other financial institutions are closing branches or reducing opening hours across the North East, the Society remains firmly committed to contributing to the vitality of successful, sustainable local communities through this sort of direct investment.
“We are very much here to stay on the region’s High Street, and are reaffirming this long-term commitment by investing heavily in maintaining and enhancing a modern branch network that sits right at the heart of our operations.
“The reaction we’ve had from customers in places where we’ve already opened new branches or carried out upgrades to existing offices has been really positive, and we think our South Tyneside customers will very much enjoy these new facilities too.”