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About Us

Our Purpose & Strategy

At Bath Building Society our purpose is clear: to help our Members live sustainable and financially resilient lives. For over 120 years we’ve helped people like you own homes and manage their savings. Our five year strategy will help make sure we continue to meet our big ambitions.

Our mutual heritage means our responsibilities extend to our colleagues and communities. You can be confident that profits are reinvested in the Society and the interests of Members and our communities, not paid to external shareholders. As well as the financial benefits this brings, it puts our Members at the heart of everything we do. As a Member of the Society you play a part in planning our future, as well as the great work we do in the local community.

With a team of over 80 colleagues, we are personally connected to our local community and are happy to support many charities and community groups doing amazing work and making a real difference in our area. We’re proud of our pledge to support the local community and encourage colleagues to use their expertise to help other organisations, including financial education in schools and volunteering with charities and community groups in our area whenever possible.

Your Society in numbers

22,592

Members

£352m

held in savings balances as at 31 December 2024

£312.9m

held in mortgage balances as at 31 December 2024

“More than any other sector, Building Societies change lives by making dreams of home ownership come true.”

Richard Ingle, CEO

Bath Building Society through time

1904

Originally founded as a Friendly Society when a group of local business people agreed to work together to encourage home ownership in Bath.

1905

123 Members with shares worth £1,895. Houses were purchased as investment funds became available and allocated on a lottery basis.

1927

Moved premises from rooms above the archway in Northumberland Passage to Charles Street, Bath.

1953

Owned 150 houses & was incorporated into the Building Society’s Act on 31st December.

1965

The Society took over the Bath & County Building Society. Assets of over £3 million recorded by the end of the decade.

1970s

Expanded its network with 6 neighbourhood Branches.

1980s

Several merger proposals were rejected in favour of maintaining the Society’s independence.

2007

Moved Head Office to 15 Queen Square, built in 1730 by John Wood the Elder.

2019

Partnered with WizeUp to provide financial education workshops for local students.

2020

The Society gained accreditation as a real living wage employer.

2021

Awarded the FairLife Mark recognising companies that price honestly and trade fairly.

2023

The Society launched a Mobile App for Savings & Mortgage Members.

2024

Richard Ingle appointed as Chief Executive Officer and the Society celebrates its 120th anniversary!