What..Laings has ?.. Is Laings still Irish owned ?
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What..Laings has ?.. Is Laings still Irish owned ?
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heard of him cant remember were ragged troused philanthropists comes to mind dont know why.
BARCLAYS Bank is to close its three Liverpool city centre branches and relocate them to a new £2.5m centre in the Grosvenor retail development.
The Derby Square branch of the Woowlich Building Society, which Barclays now owns, will also move to the new purpose-built premises.
The move will mark the end of an era for the magnificent Martins Bank building in Water Street which has provided banking services to people in the city centre since 1932.
The other two branches to close will be a small one in Bold Street and Whitechapel, currently Barclays busiest Liverpool outlet.
The bank's corporate team, currently based in Moorfields, will be unaffected by the move and will remain there.
Barclays promises there will be no job losses among the 60 staff at the four current sites who will all move to the new headquarters, situated next to the planned Debenhams store in Lord Street, when it opens in spring next year.
Craig Hudson, area director for Barclays' retail operations in Liverpool, told the Daily Post there may even be an increase in staff numbers.
He said: "This move will benefit our customers. Footfall to the Martins Bank building has decreased over the years and the premises is no longer really suitable. The Whitechapel branch is extremely busy but is just too small.
"We are planning to keep the four cash machines on the exterior of the Whitechapel branch because they have been identified as some of the busiest ATMs in the country.
"There is no prospect of any jobs being lost as a result of this move, in fact it's possible we may look to expand the numbers." Martins Bank building is a Grade II-listed property completed in 1932. It was designed by renowned architect Herbert Rowse, whose contribution to Liverpool's architecture includes the Philharmonic Hall and the nearby India Buildings.
Barclays took over the building in 1969 when it acquired Martins Bank.
The premises were acquired by the Carroll Group in 1989 for a reputed £11m but were sold on to present owner Castlewood in 1995 for just £5m.
The upper floors have other commercial tenants, including accountants Deloitte, but it is not clear yet what use the bank space will now be put to.
Mr Hudson added: "We will be working hard with our landlords, property agents and the local authority to find the best solution for the branches we are leaving behind."
tonymcdonough@dailypost.co.uk
This also got approved yesterday.Grosvenor, developing the £920m Paradise Street Project, wants to build an 11-storey building housing a 226-bed luxury hotel and 47 apartments alongside Chavasse Park. The scheme has been inspired by the famous Royal Crescent in Bath.
The man behind the Liverpool One development talks exclusively to the BBC about how the project is progressing.
Duke of Westminster"I guarantee it will be ready"
Read the interview here.
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