Manchester Building Society is celebrating the first anniversary of its flagship King Street branch after a year in which it has welcomed thousands of customers, supported grassroots organisations and opened its doors to communities across Greater Manchester.

The milestone comes as access to financial services continues to decline across the region, with eight bank branches closing in Greater Manchester since the Society opened its doors, and around 250 branches set to close across the UK this year.

Manchester Building Society has used its first year on King Street to establish a visible presence in the city centre, while looking beyond its flagship branch and building relationships with communities across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.

Since opening, the Society has:

• Created 9 jobs at its King Street branch
• Welcomed 40 charities and community groups into its free community space, providing a combined 460 hours of free venue time
• Distributed more than £100,000 to grassroots causes through its community activity
• Taken financial education and support into local communities
• Given colleagues hundreds of hours of paid volunteering time to support good causes across Greater Manchester

The branch opened in September 2025 as the first physical step in a multi-million-pound investment in the Manchester Building Society brand by Newcastle Building Society Group, following the 2023 merger which brought Manchester Building Society back to life.

The investment is intended to support the Society’s long-term ambition to provide accessible financial services and face-to-face financial advice, while building deeper relationships with the communities it serves.

Manchester Building Society’s ambition is to offer accessible financial services while also providing a place for genuine community relationships, rooted in the region it serves.

Andrew Haigh, Chief Executive of Newcastle Building Society Group, said: “Manchester Building Society’s first year on King Street has shown that when you invest in communities, rather than withdraw from them, people respond. At a time when high street banking continues to disappear from many towns and cities, we’ve remained committed to providing face-to-face services, trusted advice and community spaces that bring people together. The progress we’ve seen over the last 12 months is about far more than opening a branch; it’s about building lasting relationships, supporting local organisations and helping connect communities across Greater Manchester with a better financial future.”

The Society has spent its first year not only establishing its presence on King Street but building relationships across Greater Manchester through a programme of branch pop-ups, community events and financial wellbeing initiatives. As part of this programme the Society will continue to host pop-up and community engagement events across the city, creating opportunities for local people to meet colleagues, learn more about its services and discuss their financial goals and challenges.

Upcoming activity includes pop-up events at Oldham Market Town Square on 2 and 9 October, and a financial vulnerabilities event at Stretford Public Hall on 15 October.

Deborah Walker, development director at Manchester Building Society, said: “It’s been an incredible first year for Manchester Building Society on King Street, but in many ways this is just the beginning. The response from members and communities across Greater Manchester has reinforced what we believed from the outset: people still value face-to-face financial services, trusted advice and organisations that are genuinely invested in the places they serve.

“We’re proud of the relationships we’ve built over the past year, whether that’s supporting local charities, helping people with their financial wellbeing or creating a welcoming space in the heart of the city. If we’re going to call ourselves Manchester Building Society, it’s important that communities see a real benefit from having us here, and that’s something we’re committed to building on in the years ahead.”

The Society has also used its King Street branch as a space for local organisations, with 40 different charities and community groups using the free venue since it opened.

These groups have included Talk Listen Change, Resolve Poverty, Barnado’s, Greater Manchester Rape Crisis, the Good Employment Charter and Down’s Syndrome Manchester, with a combined 460 hours of free venue time provided.

Alongside the community space, the Society has delivered free talks on topics such as scam awareness and rolled out its “Helping Hand” initiative with Citizen’s Advice to provide free guidance on financial and social issues, including the cost of living.

The Society has also continued to invest in Greater Manchester communities through a £100,000 partnership with Forever Manchester, supporting grassroots organisations focused on wellbeing, skills, confidence and employability, and a further £100,000 partnership with EMPOWER Youth Zones. Alongside funding, colleagues have volunteered their time to support young people across the region, while the King Street branch continues to host community groups, events and activities that help local people access financial wellbeing support and connect with the Society.