Leeds Building Society celebrates a decade on the Rock

A decade on from Leeds Building Society opening a branch on Main Street, Gibraltar, the UK's 5th largest building society has gone from strength to strength.

Membership and savings balances are at their highest ever levels and assets have doubled in size to around £10bn.

To mark this milestone, the Society's Chief Executive, Peter Hill, is visiting Gibraltar to celebrate the success of the branch, which initially offered a range of competitive mortgages to Gibraltarians and British expatriates.

Peter Hill said, "I am delighted to visit Gibraltar to recognise such an important milestone. During the last 10 years, we have continued to improve our products and services and now offer both sterling and euro savings accounts as well as mortgages.

"As the 5th largest mutual building society in the UK, Leeds has maintained exceptional financial results and strong credit ratings, despite the unsettled economic climate. I am proud that Leeds Building Society has remained independent, and continued with a tradition of providing excellent value, through quality customer service, efficiency and competitive products.

"Whilst many institutions withdrew their lending facilities, the Society maintained our involvement in the Gibraltar housing market and was instrumental in helping to provide mortgages for homes purchased under the Government Right-to-Buy scheme or on a Shared Ownership basis.

"During our time here, we have felt very welcome and appreciated by the local community and The Business Centre, for which we are extremely grateful. My colleagues in the Gibraltar office have also formed firm relationships with very many of our customers who became members of the Society and I am so pleased that I will also meet our longest running mortgage members during my visit.

"The Society is thriving and has great plans for growth in the future, whilst being careful to manage risks in a prudent manner. We look forward to many more years of being part of this vibrant and flourishing financial services market in Gibraltar.  Aiming to be Britain's most successful building society will require us to continue to focus on being best for members, best for business and best for colleagues."