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A
very short shelf life…
 Martins Bank
builds on the success of its Newport High Street and Maindee branches, by
opening a second self accounting sub branch at Commercial Road. This will be
one of the last of the Bank’s outlets to display the iconic hanging sign of
the Grasshopper and Liver Bird Coat of Arms.
By late 1966 the Liver Bird will have been consigned
to the scrapheap, leaving only the Grasshopper to record Martins long and
distinguished history. The 1960s sees a second incursion by the Bank into the
south of England and Wales, and some attractive new branches are developed
and opened.
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In Service: 1965 until 12 December 1969
Image © Barclays Ref
0033-0407
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  It is inevitable
that when Barclays merges with Martins, there will be a number of areas where
the combined bank will have too many branches in a particular town, and some
of these will be forced to close. Commercial Road is one of them, closing
along with Maindee Branch on 12 December 1969. The Business of both Branches
is transferred to the control of Barclays 59 High Street Branch. It is sad
enough that Maindee is to close, only nine years after opening, but
Commercial Road draws an even shorter straw, having only been open since
1965. Both are examples of the kind of new-style Martins branches we might
have seen continuing to open across England and Wales, if the merger had not
taken place…
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