Newcastle Building Society invests in local firms

Feb 19 2010 by Chris Knox, The Journal

NEWCASTLE Building Society is continuing its policy of investing in local businesses by choosing firms from across the North East to design and build its new flagship branch.

The new Northumberland Street office, which will serve as the society’s main branch in Newcastle when it opens in the spring, has provided work for MWE Architects in Newcastle, which was appointed to oversee the design, with STP Construction Ltd of Rowlands Gill acting as principal contractor.

Meanwhile, Gateshead-based Ronald Thompson Ltd is responsible for the electrical and data installations, with the Team Valley depot of ADT Fire and Security installing the security systems alongside Graham Technical Services of North Shields.

Heating and ventilation specialists HLA Services Ltd of Boldon is installing the air conditioning systems, Escott Signs Ltd of Gateshead is providing all its signage and marketing displays and Normans of Billingham is supplying all the office furnishings.

The new branch will encompass a customer area of more than 2,000 sq ft over two floors, and will have more staff and financial advisers than any of its 36 branches in the UK and Gibraltar.

Kevin Parker, property services manager at the society, said: “The Northumberland Street branch will set the standard for us over the coming years. We conducted an exhaustive tender process to ensure we got the best possible firms to design and build it.

“Awarding the contracts to firms based in our heartland and thus investing even more in our communities reflects the mutual ethos the Newcastle values so highly.”