The decision of Bank of Ireland to move its premises to Oliver Plunkett Street shows that Mullingar is ideally placed to be a hub for financial services, says Senator Donie Cassidy.
The senator, who owns the premises at 52 Oliver Plunkett Street says he is delighted the bank has decided to locate its “state-of-the art” facility there and adds that it will be “one of the best outside Dublin”.
“It will be a huge boost to Mullingar that the Bank of Ireland is investing so heavily in the business and commercial sector,” he told the Advertiser.
Bank of Ireland has confirmed it is to move its business premises from Austin Friar Street, Mullingar to Oliver Plunkett Street in late autumn.
The senator says he is delighted that Bank of Ireland can see the potential of Mullingar in terms of financial services.
The bank’s business banking division is currently located at Oliver Plunkett Street in the premises Senator Cassidy bought in 1998 as a family investment, a building that previously operated as a bank. He says that as Mullingar town centre develops in the next couple of years, the newly refurbished building will complement the new council building and will have equal footfall at its front and back entrances.
A spokesperson for the bank said the move is part of a significant nationwide branch investment over the last five years and the aim is to improve the service is provides.
“The reason is simple… we need to house our Mullingar team together, we need room to grow and we wish to provide a more developed and modern design office for our people and our customers.”
Work is underway at the 18,800 square foot rebuild. The bank says that “welcoming customer service areas will dominate the floor space, there will be a range of modern self-service options, and discreet financial advice consultancies”.
Senator Cassidy says the building work, which began in early November, is at an advanced stage and he hopes it will be completed by Easter to allow the bank move in to install what he describes as “a state of the art financial services centre”.
The bank says that leasing the new premises will “ultimately mean the closure of Pearse Street. We believe the move to the newer, bigger and more modern premises is a clear signal that we are very much open for business and committed to the Mullingar community”.
