By March 31st 1921, the branch had 832 accounts and annual transactions were 5,564, and with the Bank having recently recruited more
staff, the question of opening the branch on a daily basis was considered. As the premises were let to the Bank on a yearly tenancy,
and the same rent and rates were payable whether they were used during the evenings only or as a daily branch, it was decided to provide
daily openings from September 1st 1921.
The Clerk-in-Charge of the Evening Branch was Mr C Danks. The General Manager stated that the
success of the branch was due to the enthusiasm of the Clerk-in-Charge and that the branch's books were kept in a first-rate manner
and that it stood out prominently as a well conducted evening branch. Mr Danks was appointed branch manager on the terms applicable
to Grade B.
The Bank sought a lease of the premises for 5 years at £40 per annum, but Messrs Vernon & Shakespeare, acting for the
landlady, stated that their client was only willing to grant one for 5 years at £45 with an option to renew for a further 5 years
at an increase of £5. If the lease were not taken, the rent would be increased in accordance with the Rent Restrictions Act. The Bank
agreed to the £45 rental plus rates, with the landlady responsible for external repairs. The branch's living accommodation was let
at 13/9d per week, but this portion of the premises was only divided from the branch by a partition - a partition that was only carried
up to the ceiling in 1921.
Minor alterations were also made by taking in the rear premises, but the accommodation was still insufficient
to meet the demands of customers, who often had to queue outside the branch. The reconstruction of the premises was considered, but
no satisfactory scheme on these lines could be produced, owing to the restricted frontage and the tapering boundaries of the house
and ground. Attempts were made to purchase the property with a view to the reconstruction of the premises, and negotiations were conducted
by Frank Wilde - he wrote to the General Manager in October 1925:
"The [....] Property has been offered to me at the sum of £650
with a Lease having Fifty years unexpired from the 29th September last. The Ground Rent on the six houses amounting to £24. 12. 0.
is payable by the Owner of No 177 who collects the Sub-Ground Rents of £4. 2. 0. per House from the other tenants.
"Although at the
moment I cannot purchase any of the adjoining shops I do not think an opportunity such as this of acquiring the one you occupy should
be missed, particularly having regard to the fact that your Lease expires in September of next year.
"I have had some correspondence
with the Solicitors acting for the Owner in order to keep the matter over until your next Meeting, and I shall therefore be glad if
you will let me have your immediate decision after such Meeting."
The City Surveyor was consulted regarding the alterations required
to create suitable premises if the property was purchased. The verdict was that alternative accommodation would need to be obtained
for the existing tenant of the dwelling part (a policeman) and until it was known whether the adjoining premises could be obtained,
or not, it would be advisable to re-let rather than purchase. The City Surveyor prepared a plan for altering the premises, and estimated
the cost of such alterations as being between £800 and £900. Tenders were subsequently obtained that ranged from £837 to £982; and
the lowest tender (from J T Harris) was accepted.
However, by June 1927 the premises were again considered inadequate and the
question of future accommodation was reconsidered. The cost of altering the existing premises to temporarily relieve difficulties
was estimated at £1,400, which with the purchase price and the cost of previous alterations, would amount to approximately £3,000.
Plans were drawn for the alterations, but it was considered that for a leasehold property that was not in good condition,
and having about 70 years unexpired, would only be justified if it was not possible to secure a suitable site elsewhere.
Such
a suitable site became available when the Tramways Department desired to improve the facilities for turning buses at its Sandon Road
terminus by purchasing buildings and land about 250 yards from Bearwood branch, at the junction of Sandon Road and Willow Avenue.
The Bank was approached with a view to a joint purchase; the owner's asking price being £2,750. This amount was considered excessive
and the Bank agreed to a joint purchase with a firm bid of £2,000.
The title deeds of the 1,613-square yard property contained
restrictions as to new erections on the land, but it was decided that no undue risk would be taken by proceeding with the purchase
with the object of erecting a branch and dwelling-house. In March 1928, 16 tenders for the cost of building (ranging from £3,952 to
£4,549) were considered and the lowest was accepted, the work to be completed in six months.
In May 1928 the General Purposes
Sub-Committee were informed that an injunction had been threatened by an adjoining owner to prevent the use of the land for the purpose
of a branch bank and for tramways purposes, having regard to the Clause in the title deeds of the property containing restrictions
as to the use of the land for business premises. Objections to the development were lodged by a number of local residents under the
Law of Property Act, 1925. The Arbitrator awarded to seven objectors the total sum of £590, but the claims of the remaining 129 objectors
were dismissed. Development of a new branch building was then able to proceed and the Bank's 38th permanent branch was opened
by the Lord Mayor (Alderman W Byng Kenrick) at 143 Sandon Road on September 7th 1929. At this date, the branch had 9,625 depositors
and the balance standing to their credit amounted to £381,000. Of these depositors, approximately 7,000 resided in Smethwick. By 1937,
only Head Office had higher Deposit balances than Bearwood.
The architect of the building was Stewart Evans, who in addition
to providing the usual banking offices on the ground floor, incorporated an excellently planned flat above. The building contract
was carried out by George Mobbs, and internal fittings were supplied by Richard Hunt.