Leading building society commits to Bolton with move to ‘prime’ town centre site

Plans have been submitted for a building society to move into a a prime Bolton town centre building.

Skipton Building Society wish to occupy the the vacant ground floor unit of 58-60 Deansgate, opposite Marks and Spencer and close to the Market Place shopping centre. A branch of Skipton currently operates elsewhere on Deansgate at number 17.

Other nearby businesses include, Greggs, Vodafone, 3, EE, Caffe Nero, RBS Bank, Superdrug, 02, Nationwide and The Post Office. Recent marketing of the property states that it is ‘located on the prime pitch of Deansgate in Bolton town centre’.

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In documents submitted to Bolton Council this week, Skipton have sought a development certificate for proposed use of the ground floor for financial services as opposed to the previous use of retail. The unit has been in retail use since at least 1977, with the last occupier being a jewellers.

The three-storey building underwent extensive renovation in 2018. The planning document, said: “The applicants propose to use the ground floor of this building for the purposes of financial services, to provide a network branch for Skipton Building Society.

“The basement, which provides storage space and staff facilities including toilets, will be used on an ancillary basis to the ground floor network branch. The existing and proposed uses both fall within the same use class and therefore planning permission is not required for a change of use.”

The move to bigger and more modern premises would indicate a show of commitment to Bolton from the society during a period of large scale high street branch closures in the banking sector. Skipton, which was formed in 1853. currently