Wellingborough MP Gen Kitchen visited the Nationwide Building Society branch in the town to learn more about the importance of branches to the high street.
During the visit, Ms Kitchen met the branch team and the branch manager, Katherine Coe, to discuss the importance of face-to-face financial services on the high street. Nationwide reiterated its promise that everywhere it has a branch, it will still be there until at least 2026. Nationwide has been in Wellingborough since 1852.
Ms Kitchen also talked to the team about how branches help customers through the cost-of-living crisis and how Britain’s biggest building society helps support first time homebuyers.
Nationwide is owned by its 16 million members and is one of the UK’s largest providers for mortgages, savings and current accounts, as well as being a major provider of ISAs, credit cards, personal loans, and insurance.
The MP heard about the way Nationwide is tackling scams and fraud, both in branch and remotely via its Scam Checker Service. Customers can visit their local branch and speak directly to the team or phone a free 24/7 hotline at 0800 030 40 57 to check payments they’re worried about with specially trained expert staff. If Nationwide gets it wrong, it will fully refund the amount lost.
Nationwide’s history in Wellingborough stretches back to when the local community founded the Wellingborough Town and District Permanent Benefit Building Society in 1852. In 1966, this society became part of the Anglia Building Society.
The town had another building society, based on Oxford Street – the Wellingborough Investment & Ballot, founded in 1876. It became part of Nationwide in 1938. When Nationwide and the Anglia merged in 1987, the building society branches across town came together to the Market Street branch, where Nationwide has been ever since.
Branches are a vital lifeline for the whole community. Nationwide research has found that six in 10 (63%) people value their local branch, while additional research shows that four in ten (40%) value face-to-face service and more than a third (36%) say branches are useful for older people and those with vulnerabilities.
Katherine Coe said:
“We were honoured to welcome Gen Kitchen MP to our branch in Wellingborough. It was a great opportunity for us to showcase how we’re committed to serving the town and communities across Britain. After all, Nationwide has been in Wellingborough for over 170 years now!
“A local branch is more than just access to essential banking services, it’s a cornerstone of a thriving high street. Our research shows how important branches are, especially for people struggling with the cost of living. We’re glad to still have a strong presence on high streets around Britain – we’re here to help.”
Find out more about Nationwide at www.nationwide.co.uk
