Comfort and confidence are the highest values of Reading’s newly renovated NatWest branch which was recently celebrated with an action-packed opening event.
The new-look branch- designed to make the customer experience more comfortable and welcoming- invited the local community to enjoy a range of activities including hula hoop performers, an educational coding class and free giveaways.
And among those who attended the event were 30 Year 5 pupils from Redlands Primary School who took part in a coding workshop run by CodeKids.
The session- which covered an increasingly important topic in today’s tech-focused world- gave the students a behind-the-scenes look at the technology that makes modern global banking possible.
As part of the renovation Reading customers will have access to new learning and experience zones which have been set up to encourage local people to come in and utilise the technology with help and guidance from the team.
Local Director for NatWest Reading and Swindon Local Market, Matthew Brown said: “Our focus throughout this refurbishment has been on making banking more accessible to everyone.
“From modernising our service with the latest in-branch technology to our new learning and experience zones, we want to take the stress out of finance and create a place that people want to come and visit.”
He added: “We aim to help 2.5 million people each year to be more financially capable and help them feel more confident and in control of their finances.”
In addition to Cash Deposit Machines and ATMs, customers of the branch will have access to free Wi-Fi to allow customers to register and access online banking services.
The branch also offers services such as free Financial Health Checks; a 20-minute session with a senior personal banker.
The refurbishments to the Reading branch are just the latest in NatWest’s ongoing investments to its branch network.
