Northern Community Bank takes over former Burnley Wetherspoons

Northern Community Bank has opened its £2.5m branch in Burnley, converting the old Brun Lea Wetherspoon pub, which closed in 2019, into a modern financial hub.

The bank welcomed more than 60 guests to an evening event celebrating the launch, attended by councillors, neighbouring credit unions, contractors, volunteers, community partners, and staff.

Speeches were delivered by Burnley Council chief executive Lukman Patel and Burnley MP Oliver Ryan.

Gerard Spain, president of Northern Community Bank, said: "This is a very proud moment for us all and one which ties in perfectly with the huge rebranding project we have undertaken.

"It's been a very interesting two years, but today proves that all of the hard work has been worth it.

"This is a truly remarkable story which we should all be extremely proud of, and a very good reason why we were able to pay for this fantastic development using our own funds, without requiring any external funding.

"This is a story for all our community, the Staff, Board and account holders.

"This building typifies where we have come from and what we have achieved."

Guests enjoyed guided tours before hearing from a number of speakers who reflected on both the journey to create the branch and Northern Community Bank's vision for the future.

Mr Patel welcomed the bank to its new home and praised the investment in Burnley town centre.

He said: "It is fantastic to see such a significant investment in the heart of Burnley.

"The quality of the workmanship and attention to detail throughout the building is exceptional and complements the wider public sector investment taking place across our town centre.

"I have been incredibly impressed by [chief executive] Kathryn Fogg's leadership and the positive culture she has created at Northern Community Bank.

"We are delighted to welcome our new neighbours and wish Kathryn and her team continued success."

Oliver Ryan spoke about the importance of accessible, ethical finance.

He said: "I have been fortunate to visit this branch three times during the renovation.

"Looking around this welcoming branch, the vision described by Kathryn and her team has been delivered and will benefit people in the community."

Northern Community Bank chief executive Kathryn Fogg began the evening by thanking everyone who contributed to the project.

She said: "[Around] 80 per cent of our transactions are done digitally now.

"We understand we need a lot of digital offerings, but you also need somewhere safe and welcoming where people know they can speak to somebody."

She also emphasised the importance of the workplace environment.

She said: "You need a comfortable, safe environment for your staff team to work, to give the best service that they can give to our account holders."

Reflecting on the organisation’s growth, Ms Fogg said the bank remains rooted in its original values.

She said: "We started in humble surroundings and we've got this wonderful new building now.

"But inside, we've not changed. We're still the same ethical organisation.

"We're a financial cooperative.

"Our account holders are at our heart.

"They own Northern Community Bank, and everything we do is for them."

Northern Community Bank, formerly Pennine Community Credit Union, has now relocated its headquarters from St James’s Street to Manchester Road.