‘Bank of Dave’ on nationwide crusade

The local entrepreneur, who shot to fame with his hit Channel 4 show “Bank of Dave”, has travelled the length and breadth of Britain in his battle bus rallying for change in the banking industry.

The self-made millionaire, who is filming for a new series of the show, has spoken to hundreds of people in town and cities across the country as part of his Better Banks for Britain campaign.

The nationwide tour comes just days before Mr Fishwick takes his “Bank on Dave” model to an All-Party Parliamentary Group on finance and banking in Westminster.

Mr Fishwick will address top politicans and bankers on the success of his Burnley bank with the hope of changing regulations which could see hundreds of similar community banks spring up across the UK.

He said: “We need change. People that rob banks go to jail but banks that rob people are given bonuses.

“We want banks without bonuses. We are taking huge steps now.

“I will be the key note speaker at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on banking and finance in Britain.

“For a lad who sells buses in Burnley to stand up in front of politicians and speak in Parliament and get them to listen is a big step forward.

“I will be able to show what is happening in Burnley, how it is changing things and how that can be replicated across the country and even the world.”

The whistle-stop tour of Britain has been aimed at drumming up support for the Better Banks for Britain campaign and getting people across the country to lobby their MPs to attend the all-party meeting on Tuesday.

Mr Fishwick, who owns David Fishwick Minibus Sales, said: “I have been travelling up and down the country giving people the chance to change banking forever.

“I want as many people as possible to nag their MPs to help get regulations changed.

“We want the meeting to be packed out with people who want change in Great Britain.”

Mr Fishwick has set up an e-petition online calling for back-to-basics banking, more choice for customers and community banks which support local businesses.

He hopes mass public support could prompt politicians to change banking regulations which would allow small “Bank on Dave” style centres to flourish.

He said: “We take in £100,000 a month. That is £100,000 in and £100,000 out. That is £3.6m. over three years. It self-perpetuates. It runs itself.

“The regulations don’t fit the scale of banks we are trying to open.”

He added: “My ultimate goal is to inspire other people to stand up in their own towns and cities and open a small community bank.

“We want to find a way to make that happen.”

He is urging people to sign the e-petition which can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40861