Business

Progressive HQ refurbished after £2m investment programme

Progressive Building Society John Trethowan and its CEO Darina Armstrong at the newly refurbished head office
Progressive Building Society John Trethowan and its CEO Darina Armstrong at the newly refurbished head office Progressive Building Society John Trethowan and its CEO Darina Armstrong at the newly refurbished head office

PROGRESSIVE Building Society has completed the redevelopment of its landmark head office in Belfast city centre.

The renovations were part of a £2 million investment programme into the society's high street assets.

The improvements have also lead to the creation of 13 new jobs, Progressive said.

The society, which last year celebrated its centenary, saw new mortgage lending in 2014 increase by 30 per cent to £153m with post tax profits of £9.85m.

Commenting at the relaunch of its main Wellington Place branch, Progressive chief executive Darina Armstrong said: “We are proud of our strong and respected credentials as Northern Ireland’s largest independent home grown mortgage lender and savings provider.

"The investment in our head office and the new jobs we have created are a reflection of the success of our strategy of supporting our twelve local branches and directly engaging with our members and potential customers in towns and cities across Northern Ireland.

“While other organisations are pulling out of the high street, we continue to invest with a new branch in Arthur Square, Cornmarket, Belfast, and a series of new locations or branch redevelopments over the last 15 months including Ballymena and Derry."

She said the Wellington Place branch had been "a landmark building for Belfast and a cherished home for us since 1967".

"As Northern Ireland’s only building society, Progressive has been serving the people of Northern Ireland for over 100 years and our head office has been a symbol of our commitment to support our members through the good times and the not so good."