NatWest Branch, Burslem

The former NatWest branch at Fountain Place, beside Westport Road in Burslem, has a long history that reflects the development of banking in the Potteries. Although commonly associated with Westport Road, the building's official address is Fountain Place, occupying a prominent corner site in the centre of Burslem.

The branch originated with the Manchester & Liverpool District Banking Company, founded in 1829. In 1865, the bank expanded into Burslem by acquiring the local private bank J. J. & G. Alcock & Co., which had been established in the town since 1830. Around 1870, District Bank commissioned the construction of the present purpose-built banking hall at Fountain Place, creating an impressive Victorian landmark that served the growing industrial community.

Designed in the Victorian Tudor Gothic style, the building features red brick with stone dressings, steep gables and decorative carved detailing. Its architectural quality led to it being designated a Grade II listed building, recognising its importance as one of Burslem's finest surviving nineteenth-century commercial buildings.

The branch operated as District Bank for approximately a century, providing banking services to local residents, pottery manufacturers and businesses during Burslem's industrial heyday. In 1962, District Bank became part of National Provincial Bank but retained its established name until the creation of National Westminster Bank (NatWest) on 1 January 1970, following the merger of District Bank, National Provincial Bank and Westminster Bank.

The branch continued trading as NatWest for nearly five decades before closing in 2017 as part of a nationwide programme of branch closures. The closure marked the end of around 147 years of continuous banking from the same site.