The North East’s biggest building society is crossing the High Street in Stokesley to open a new improved branch.
Newcastle Building Society is creating a new open plan branch at 36 High Street as part of an ongoing multi-million pound investment programme across the whole of its branch network.
Work is now under way at the new branch, with local firm Prodrive Shopfitting being appointed as main contractor for the project, and it is due to open its doors to customers at the end of July.
The Society’s existing branch at 19 High Street will remain open as usual until the new branch is ready, and the branch team will move across to their new home over the weekend before it opens to ensure customers retain access to a local branch at all times.
The new 1,053 sq ft branch will provide customers with better access to services, information and advice, as well as improved meeting spaces to discuss all aspects of personal financial planning.
The Society is more than halfway through an ambitious branch improvement programme which will see work on new or improved facilities in every part of its branch network completed before the end of the year.
Stuart Miller, customer director of Newcastle Building Society, says: “At a time when many financial institutions are closing branches across the region, we are reaffirming our long-term commitment to maintaining our High Street presence right across the region by investing heavily in maintaining and enhancing a modern branch network.
“We’ve chosen a vibrant, busy location for our new Stokesley branch that is easily accessible to customers and are looking forward to providing local customers with improved access to services in a high quality environment.
“The reaction we’ve had from customers in locations where we’ve already opened new branches or carried out upgrades to existing offices has been really positive, and we think our Stokesley customers will very much enjoy them too.
“We strongly believe our future lies in our local communities, and see making local investments as a crucial part of building a sustainable future for both them and ourselves.
“Prodrive came highly recommended, and being able to call on the services of this sort of excellent local firm provides another way in which we deliver direct benefits to our communities.”