Metro Bank Arrives In Liverpool As It Opens Its First Store In The North

• Seven-day-a-week, early until late, 362-days-a-year banking to arrive in Liverpool city centre
• More than 1,500 safety deposit boxes available for reservation now
• Grand opening celebrations on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 December 2019 at Liverpool's new Metro Bank store on Paradise Street

Metro Bank, known for its exceptional customer service, is soon to open its 71^st store in the heart of Liverpool city centre on Paradise Street. The Bank recently achieved the top spot in the CMA's Service Quality Survey¹ for the second time running.

Metro Bank offers customers and businesses the choice to bank however, whenever and wherever they choose. Whether that's face-to-face banking in store, on the phone, online or via its mobile app. According to analysis from Which?, the north west has seen the highest number of bank closures in the UK, with more than 400 branches closing since 2015. This is why Metro Bank is delighted to be bucking this trend by bringing banking back to the high street.

To mark the occasion, Metro Bank is inviting businesses, residents and four-legged friends to a two-day grand opening party. The fun will kick off at 8am on Friday 6 December, with entertainment including stilt walkers, a DJ, free manicures and face painting. Customers will be welcomed by the new store's Local Director, Gary Owens and Store Manager, Vicky Newby.

The city centre store will offer business, personal and private banking services to the local community, from early in the morning until late at night, seven-days-a-week. Customers will be able to visit the store, with no appointment needed, and open a personal or business account on-the-spot, leaving with their debit card in hand, along with internet and mobile banking set-up.

The dog-friendly bank has created around 25 new jobs for local people and will have more than 1,500 Safe Deposit Boxes for customers to store their valuables with access seven days a week. Boxes are available to be reserved now.

Metro Bank Liverpool is the Bank's first in the North of England, and will be followed with a store in Manchester opening the week after. This expansion is part of Metro Bank's efforts to inject much needed competition into the small business banking market following the £120 million funding it was awarded from the Capability & Innovation Fund and support the northern powerhouse.

Local businesses will benefit from Local Business Managers ready to help them run and grow their businesses. Metro Bank Liverpool will become a hub for the community, hosting a range of business events and charity fundraisers for local people throughout the year. On top of this, the store will run its Money Zone - Metro Bank's financial education programme for key stage three and key stage four pupils - as well as regular craft events throughout the year.

The bank gives colleagues a Day to AMAZE - a day, when they would normally be working, to volunteer their time or skills or give back to their local community. In advance of the store launch, Metro Bank colleagues in Liverpool will spend their Day to AMAZE volunteering at Claire House, a local children's hospice based across Merseyside, organising its warehouse ready for Christmas.

Craig Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer at Metro Bank, says: 'We are thrilled to be opening our first store in the north of England and finally bring a real choice in how people bank to the city of Liverpool. For too long customers - especially small businesses - have been underserved and undervalued by traditional high street banks so we're delighted to offer top customer service to the residents and local businesses of Liverpool and the north west.'

Joe Anderson, OBE, Mayor of Liverpool, added: 'We're delighted to be welcoming Metro Bank to Liverpool, giving people more choice of services. This is particularly important at a time when big banks are retreating from the High Street, making it harder for people to access services in the traditional way.'

The store will be located at 15 Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 3EU and will offer free coin counting facilities for children and adults alike.

All stores are open at the most convenient time for local people from 8am to 8pm Monday to Fridays, 8am to 6pm on Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sundays and bank holidays, 362 days a year.

ENDS

¹ Metro Bank achieved the top spot in the Competition and Market Authority's Service Quality Survey among personal current account holders for its overall service and came second among business current account holders in August 2019.

Money Zone is a National Curriculum approved training programme delivered to schools and youth groups by store colleagues and is provided through classroom and store-based sessions. Metro Bank, has already supported more than 150,000 children across the UK with their financial literacy