Earl Shilton society is oldest in the county

THE COUNTY’S oldest building society has celebrated its 160th anniversary.

It was on January 3 1857 that members of Earl Shilton Permanent Benefit Building and Land Society paid their very first subscriptions, following a meeting of local investors at the Royal Oak Club Rooms on Earl Shilton High Street in December 1856.

Some 160 years on, Earl Shilton Building Society has survived two world wars, countless recessions and market slumps to remain one of the country’s longest standing independent building societies.

It now operates from two branches in Earl Shilton and Barwell and has more than 10,000 customers nationwide.

The society retains a close connection with the community in Earl Shilton and the surrounding area, offering grants to local events and charities through its In the Community scheme.

The causes it has recently supported include Earl Shilton’s annual In Bloom entry and a Christmas meal for the elderly and socially isolated organised by Age UK LeicesterShire and Rutland.

Chief Executive, Paul Tilley, said: “This is an incredible landmark for the building society and we want to continue to maintain the ethos the society was established upon all those years ago, helping our customers secure mortgages, save money and plan for their financial futures.”

When founded, as now, the society’s main objectives were to promote thrift and home ownership.

The society has assets over £123 million, more than 10,000 members and approaching 30 staff.

It runs regular online polls to learn more about customers and improve services. These can be found at www. esbs.co.uk/poll