Yorkshire comes to Montgomeryshire.

This afternoon I called by Milwyn, Jenkins and Jenkins, solicitors of Llanidloes, Montgomeryshire. I wanted this photograph for my blog. I accept that its not a story that's going to make the 'nationals', but its very significant for Llanidloes. First, some context. For 37 years, Milwyn, Jenkins and Jenkins have acted as an agency for the Nationwide Building Society. So it came as a mighty blow to the firm, and the town when Nationwide announced at the beginning of the year that it was pulling out. Bad news for the staff - and for the town which has been on a bit of a downer since the major employer (which I remember as BSK) shut up shop a few years ago. Another service gone in what looked like a cycle of decline. But Angela Davies-Jones (bottom right in the navy suit) and her team were not taking this blow lying down.

When Angela contacted me a while back, her file on this issue was already two inches thick. After making a few phone calls, I concluded that there wasn't much hope of changing the Nationwide decision. When I rang back to report bleak news, she was already in pursuit of other options, and two weeks ago a deal was struck with the third biggest Building Society in the UK, the Yorkshire. The plan is that the new office will open on August 24th. Now that's what I call a result.

My comment for the press release was "I am very pleased that Milwyn Jenkins and Jenkins have managed to secure such an outstandingly good mutual Building Society and to maintain what is such an important service for the local community". Its good news because it retains the jobs which were under threat and even creates one more. And it sends out the message that the Yorkshire Building Society thinks Llanidloes is a town which is open for business.