EAST Lancashire’s banking revolutionary Dave Fishwick has met with Government ministers to call for a Bank of Dave in ‘every town and city in the country’.

His call to arms came as he visited Parliament to speak to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on banking.

Mr Fishwick shot to fame following a Channel 4 series showing him trying to set up his own not-for-profit people’s bank in Burnley, called Bank of Dave.

That venture has now lent money to almost 1,000 people and businesses across Lancashire.

Mr Fishwick said: “My dream would be to see a Bank of Dave style operation in every town and city in the country.

“We have done some research on this and there are around 1,000 towns and cities in the UK, and we have almost lent to 1,000 people now, you soon realise we are talking about possibly helping one million people or businesses.

“The All-Party Parliamentary Group were keen to listen to what I had to say, and I said I am happy to work with the Government to get more Bank of Dave’s off the ground.

“But my heart is in Lancashire and with the bank I have already set up, so it is up to other people to get on the bandwagon and get the ball rolling, but I am happy to help them.”

Among the MPs to meet Mr Fishwick was Darwen and Rossendale MP Jake Berry, who said he was keen to see a similar operation open in Darwen.

Mr Fishwick said: “I think Mr Berry would like to see a Bank of Dave in Darwen eventually, but this is going to be a long process. It hasn’t going to happen quickly, but it is our aim to get more of these banks open across the country.”