Newcastle Building Society takes on major retail site in Hexham for latest branch

The region’s biggest building society is set to take over a landmark retail site in Hexham.

Newcastle Building Society is creating a new full service and financial advice branch in the former Dickinsons site adjacent to Hexham Abbey as part of its multi-million-pound branch network investment programme.

Work is set to begin in September on transforming the 1,410 sq ft Beaumont Street space into a modern environment offering services, information and advice for customers.

The added community space is also said to be a key part of the new design, offering a free location for local people, groups and good causes to hold meetings and events.

Stuart Miller, customer director at Newcastle Building Society, said: “This is a real landmark location in Hexham and we’re extremely pleased to be investing in bringing it back into use.

“At a time when many financial institutions are closing branches across the region, we are reaffirming our long-term commitment to local communities by investing in maintaining and enhancing a modern branch network that sits right at the heart of our operations.

“We strongly believe our future lies in local communities like Hexham, and we are very much here to stay on the high-street.”

Local contractor Tri Construction has been appointed to work on the project, which is scheduled to be completed around October.

Newcastle Building Society is more than halfway through a branch improvement programme which will see work on new or improved facilities in every part of its existing branch network.

New branches are also being opened in various locations across the North East and Yorkshire.

Hexham Community Partnership chair, Peter Rodger, added: “At a time when there is a perception that Hexham has too many empty premises, a significantly expanded Newcastle Building Society high-street presence in the town is good news.

“[It] also fits well with the Partnership’s work on the expression of interest in Heritage Action Zone funding.”

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