11-91-30 Gateshead NE Wholesale Fruit and Veg Market

Proving perhaps, that it can tell its apples from its pears, and its artichokes from its elbows, one of Martins Bank’s final forays into the opening of brand new offices is this impressive looking sub-Branch at Gateshead North East Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market, opened in 1968.

Good job it is a sub branch really, as printing a name as long as that on a cheque book may well have proved extremely difficult! The style of this and nearby buildings, the font used for the signage of the other businesses, and the 1960s cars makes this look like one of the modelled sets from an episode of “Thunderbirds” You might expect to see Lady Penelope’s Rolls Royce at any moment.

In Service: 1968 until Friday 7 April 2000

Branch Images © Barclays Ref 0030-1051

Although situated in Gateshead, this outlet is not actually a sub-Branch to Gateshead - it comes under the wing of the Bank’s branch at Newcastle Gallowgate, and later Barclays Percy Street, until performing its last fruit and veg banking transaction on 7 April 2000.