Britannia name to disappear from the High Street
The Britannia building society name is set to disappear from the West Midlands, it was revealed today.
It means branches in Dudley will be rebranded as the Co-operative Bank. And 37 branches across the country, including Wolverhampton, will close. The move follows the society's merger with the Co-operative Bank back in 2009.
More than three dozen branches of the Britannia building society will close as the historic Staffordshire firm fades out after more than 150 years.
Remaining former Britannia branches will be rebranded as Co-op banks. The move will affect branches in Halesowen, Blackheath, Kidderminster and West Bromwich.
The Co-op Bank says 34 jobs will be lost – mostly managerial – but most of the 188 staff at the 37 doomed offices will be moved to neighbouring branches.
It is still unclear how the move will affect Stoke City, which has been sponsored by Britannia since the naming of the new football stadium in 1997.
The current sponsorship deal runs until the end of the football season in 2014.
Founded in 1856 as the Leek and Moorlands, it adopted the Britannia name following its merger with the Oldbury Britannia in 1975.
Branches are being shut where there is another close by as part of an overhaul following its merger with Britannia building society in 2009. But the group stressed a presence will be kept in towns and cities where branches are being closed.
John Hughes, managing director of retail banking at The Co-operative Bank, confirmed the group will rebrand all Britannia branches under the Co-operative Bank banner by the end of 2013.
The Co-op will have just over 300 branches following the closures, but it is poised to buy more than 630 that are being offloaded by Lloyds Bank to appease EU rules on state aid.
