Second life for NatWest bank that served Cleethorpes for 98 years

A bank that closed after almost a century will be converted into a retail unit and apartment.

The NatWest branch in Sea View Street, Cleethorpes, served customers from 1925 until March 2023.

Now, plans for a retail space on the ground floor and a self-contained, two-bedroom apartment upstairs have been approved by North East Lincolnshire Council.

The prominent, purpose-built bank, which overlooks the seafront, has distinctive feature windows and decorative stonework.

A neighbouring terraced building was incorporated into the bank and will form part of the new development.

NatWest blamed dwindling customer numbers for the decision to close the bank, which was subsequently put on the market for £275,000, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Chester Investments Group Ltd, based in Grimsby, is the developer behind the plans.

Application documents indicate the retail unit is likely to employ four people, two full-time, though a tenant has yet to be announced.

A report to the council concluded the development was "acceptable and compatible" with the seafront conservation area.

A heritage officer said the conversion would have a "significant positive impact", in part due to the restoration of bay windows in the terraced section, which were lost when it was incorporated into the bank.

Among the conditions for approval is a requirement for the developer to use a specific type of facing brick – Michelmersh Victorian Red.

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