A building society has decided to leave scaffolding erected despite building works being complete — because a pigeon has made a nest there. The bird, humorously referred to as ‘Pidge’ by the Nationwide staff inside, made a home for itself in the scaffolding erected outside the Beccles branch in Suffolk.
The Nationwide building was undergoing general maintenance that required scaffolding when the bird started building a nest about a month ago. Now, although the works are complete, the bank’s staff did not have the heart to take apart Pidge’s roost — and so have left up the scaffolding.
The decision has been met with praise by locals who have been equally captured by the unwitting bird, calling it ‘absolutely adorable’. Nationwide’s poster which pledged ‘we’re staying put. And so is our pigeon’ was also called the ‘single most British thing’.
Daisy Payne, from Nationwide, told the Daily Mail: ‘Nationwide’s property team were doing some essential maintenance, which happens from time to time at our buildings, and it needed scaffolding. Then little Pidge began nesting three or four weeks ago — and now we don’t feel like we can take it down. So we decided to keep the scaffolding up and we made the poster to say Pidge can stay and people have just responded so well to it.’
She added: ‘It is just very British, isn’t it. The bank’s staff are checking in on him every day. We think he will fly away soon, it probably won’t be long, but we definitely won’t be taking the scaffolding down until we are confident he’s flown the nest.’
In reference to the now viral poster, Ms Payne said: ‘Nationwide is committed to maintaining all 605 branches open on our high streets until at least 2030, and we wanted to have a bit of fun with that. This is one of the perks of British high streets, not only do we look after our customers but also our local community and that goes as far as bird life.’
In a popular Facebook post sharing the news, Paul Ashton wrote ‘nice that they care!’ while Lisa Rode added ‘reason to bank with them’. Kitty Newton commented ‘this is beautiful’ and Tom Adams said it was ‘absolutely adorable’. Laura Ohman wrote: ‘I love the poster hahah. Simple things like that is what I want to see’. Richard Swan added: ‘Good for them.’ Another commented that ‘I have my exotic “pigeon” pet insurance with nationwide. Now I know I made the right choice. Good job folks, you will always have my business now’.
