Newp: https://bbg.co.uk/
I’m pretty sure the brand is still crown property, and the mortgages have been sold in parcels, none of which have ended up with Nationwide nor Clydesdale Bank plc.
Branson only bought some parts of Northern Rock, not the distressed mortgage books.
Girobank wasn’t really a commercial bank though, it was effectively an arm of the government - not unlike NS&I.
Far easier to mutualise something in that state than it will be to mutualise either of the two banks being consumed (even though one was previously owned by a different sort of mutual!).
You’re right that the mortgages with issues went to treasury essentially and those poor folk are stuck to this day. I think Virgin took the OK ones though.
Ironically, Girobank was probably the most commercial bank in the country as it did massive proportion of cash handling that nobody else wanted to do.
As an indication of how long Nationwide might take to integrate Virgin, it was over ten years before it was properly integrated. Very complex for customers e.g. those Santander customers with a Girobank sort code could continue to use the post office whilst those with Abbey National or Alliance & Leicester ones couldn’t for rather a long time. So, whilst Virgin customers can use the post office now, probably best not to expect the Nationwide to re-enable deposits anytime soon.
Yes, exactly, it did unprofitable stuff nobody else wanted to do, as a public service.
While I agree it’ll take a very long time (and Nationwide are certainly setting the expectations at that), I think the two situations are so different that it’d be silly to try and project a precedent set by one on to the other.
So far as I know, Virgin took the post-nationalisation Northern Rock ones, and none of Bradford & Bingley. It’s not listed on that website, for sure (tho neither is it on the NRAM ones, some of which did transfer).
Sounds like the Bradford & Bingley weren’t too hot on risk management if Virgin walked away from theirs. Mind you, Northern Rock didn’t seem to be much better.
It is a shame that so many of the BSs bit the dust so quickly after they were able to spread their wings. Let’s hope that Nationwide, Coventry and any others going down a similar path don’t meet that fate.
Got my email today too. It’s in addition to any Fairer Share payment they make later in the year, which is nice!
So did I - was completely unexpected - as I rarely use Nationwide these days (due to them being fairly naff) after closing the nearest branch, lacking Post Office deposits or even just able to pay-in the occasional cheque via the noughties inspired app.
You can now see payment references in the app 
They appear to have removed the details of transfers from third party Nationwide accounts.
A recent transfer from my aunt (who uses a FlexAccount) used to just say internal transfer then detail her FlexAccount sort code and account number (no name).
Now it just says internal transfer and does not detail that it’s from a third party at all.
Nationwide are truly incompetent - you have to question who signed that ‘upgrade’ off.
Amazing. My account for some reason has no town on it… BUT
I need to add a town, or they’re going to freeze it. I can only do this… by the web app. Which I’d need my CRN for (not a problem) and my card details + my card reader (probably). the issue, I don’t have the latter two.
Is that the “your address is wrong” or “some mail we sent you has been returned” message some people (including me) have been receiving?
It is really annoying, especially as the “mail that has been returned” was mail I sent them. 
It’s their KYC thing, when I open the app it says they need information from me
But when I go to complete it… suddenly I get told there’s no town on record… but I can only change my address online.
My £50 Big Nationwide Thank You has appeared in my account this morning 
You shouldn’t. They offer a choice of identifying yourself by the card reader, passcode sent by text, or the app.
Same x2 as it’s a joint account.
Now waiting to see if we qualify for fairer share.
Yup, same here, £50 on my sole account and £50 on our joint account 
Same.
I can expect to receive it between 18 June and 4 July 2025 apparently.
Same and there is a new switch offer available.
