Building society axes historical figure from logo as ex-minister says 'this is the madness'

The Nottingham Building Society logo
-Credit: (Image: Google)


Customers have hit out at a building society after they axed their Robin Hood logo. Nottingham Building Society dropped the recognisable side profile in a bid to 'champion inclusivity and celebrate financial diversity.'

Former Tory minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke has hit back at the decision along with a host of Nottingham locals. Sir Shelbrook said: “There’s nothing more English than the story of Robin Hood — the classic folklore legend.

“Again, this is the madness of woke culture taking over.” Robin Hood is said to have been a 12th century rebel who stole from the rich to give to the poor.

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp

The legend has been passed down the generations and a host of blockbuster movies have been made around Robin and his merry men. The building society explained to staff in a blog: “We’ve mixed our rich history with a modern twist.

“We want to reflect society as it is today. For us, that means championing inclusivity and celebrating financial diversity.”

Sir Shelbrooke added: "Robin Hood used to have a quiver, but now it’s the do-gooders at Nottingham Building Society. These types of local building societies have a connection to the people around them.

"Ditching the city’s best-known figure doesn’t seem like a wise business decision and one that will probably be very unpopular with customers.”

A customer wrote online: “We have lost our much-loved and widely recognised logo and come up with a very expensive and confusing rebranding.” Another added: “I preferred the old logo.”

A spokesperson for Nottingham Building Society told The Sun: “We are incredibly proud of our roots and 175 years of history in Nottingham. We celebrate that, while recognising that people today have a much broader range of financial needs than ever before and it is important that we meet their needs.

"We are proud to be a building society, reflecting our long heritage and focus on our members, and bringing that back into our name is a hugely positive step. Our new look reflects our commitment to building for the future, for both our customers in Nottingham and those right across the UK."