First project fully complete in Tamworth town centre regeneration programme

Tamworth Borough Council and Nationwide Building Society are celebrating the opening of the new building society premises on Market Street.

Tamworth Borough Council were delighted to formally hand over the renovated building on Market Street, which replicates the original Georgian style of the building, to Nationwide Building Society in July 2024, so they could complete the shop front and interior fit.

This work, which is part of the council’s ambitious £21million regeneration programme to transform the town centre into the busy, thriving heart of the community is the first to be fully complete.

Leader of the Council, Carol Dean said: “It’s so good to see this wonderful property completed in its original Georgian style in active use as Nationwide Building Society.

“While other parts of our town centre transformation are also nearly complete, the opening of the building society today a significant milestone, as the first of our regeneration projects to be fully complete.

“With Nationwide Building Society in their new home, we’ll demolish their former building which was built in the 1960s to create a more open and wider footbridge connecting the town and castle grounds.”

Emma Cotterill, Senior Branch Manager at Nationwide in Tamworth, said: “The Nationwide team and I are so happy to reopen in a fresh space in town with a new improved branch, just over the street from our old location. There’s been a Nationwide branch in Tamworth for over 50 years – since 1973 – and with this new investment, branch service is here to stay on the high street in Tamworth.”

Other sites of the council’s transformation plans continue to progress well. The work to restore the new enterprise centre for small businesses in the original 19th century former Co-operative building on Colehill, being nearly complete, with the aim of opening in the coming months. Anyone interested in locating to this wonderful historic building can enquire at Tamworth-EnterpriseCentre@tamworth.gov.uk.

Tamworth Borough Council’s ambitious £21million regeneration plan to transform the town centre into the busy, thriving heart of the community continue, delivering:

· A new enterprise /business centre in the original 19th Century former Co-operative building on Colehill.

· Restoration and refurbishment of the historic vacant properties on Market Street (opposite Peel Café) and creating a wider footbridge into the castle grounds.

· New flexible, multi-use building for independent small businesses, near Middle Entry and the Town Hall.

· Public realm works that will link all the projects together.

Additionally, South Staffordshire College is progressing with building a new college facility replacing the demolished 1960s part of the Co-op building. Together both projects deliver a combined investment of over £40million in Tamworth town centre.

This investment is a once in a generation opportunity to develop a town centre that meets the needs of 21st century shoppers, residents and businesses.

Leader of the Council, Carol Dean went on to say: it is so good to finally see projects completed or very nearly complete, there have been many years of work behind the scenes to reach this point, and I’m glad local people can see the plans progressing.

“Throughout the regeneration work and inevitable disruption to the town, I want to reassure residents and visitors that the town and market are still very much active, and I’d urge everyone to continue to support our local businesses and shop, socialise and visit the town centre.”