From Edwardian Bank to Clinic

Bank premises were an important feature of the urban landscape for the whole of the 20th century, dominating High Streets with their size and solidity. An impression consciously engineered by the architects which designed them as a marketing tool to convey trust and reliability. Since the internet and the move across to online banking, all but the largest of these have now been closed and new uses have had to be found for these redundant buildings.

Commercial banking started in Ponteland in 1904. The village was prospering with its close links to Newcastle. Both Barclay's and Lambton Bank (later absorbed by Lloyds) began their operations here in that year. Lambton's opened up in the front room of the rectory but Barclays built this large, impressive bank at the western end of the village. This was undergoing a transformation with the laying of a new railway line connecting Ponteland to Newcastle and an old blacksmiths and some agricultural cottages were cleared to make way for the bank a new terrace of houses called West Row.

The plot at the end of this row actually formed part of the Darras Hall Estate and was originally intended to house an abattoir but the plans changed at an early stage and instead this bank was erected.

The bank building was a typical Edwardian bank of this period being mainly red-brick but with large stone quoins and architraves capped with projecting keystones and a high projecting balustraded chimney. There was also a substantial house built to the rear of the premises provided for the Bank Manager. He was J.R. Mitchell who moved here from Blyth. A bank manager was a figure of some social significance at that time and was expected to be married. Mr. Mitchell got married the year after taking up the position and lived here with his wife.

Barclays moved to more modern premises in the village in the 1960's and the building here was taken over by NatWest Bank. The bank achieved national notoriety in 2000 when farmer David Cannon from South Dissington Farm, who was in dispute with the bank, dumped two loads of manure in front of it, blocking the entrance. He later wrote a book describing his exploits entitled "A Loose Cannon".

By 2010 internet banking was becoming well established and the banks started closing their branches in Ponteland. These premises were closed before July 2015 and the last bank in Ponteland, Lloyds Bank closed in 2022. The premises here struggled to find a new purpose. Recently they were taken over by the Wimpole Clinic, a private clinic providing hair transplants, something that would have been unimaginable to the bank managers of the past.