The decision to shift the Bradford & Bingley bank's decision-makers to a new head office in London is depressing for the city and the town that gave the institution its name. It is, though, perhaps an inevitable consequence of the decision to demutualise.

Building societies grew up around local communities. They were, in the early days, self-sufficient self-help groups. People with spare money saved with them and were paid interest. Other people who needed mortgages borrowed that money and were charged interest on their loans. Everyone was a winner.

Over the years, the building societies grew way beyond their local origins. And then several of them, including the Bradford & Bingley, sought and won the approval of their members to become banks, taking that final step into the cut-throat world of major financial institutions. London was bound to beckon, if only for practical purposes.

Bradford & Bingley has consistently denied plans to move its headquarters to the capital. Now, though, it has admitted that its top management team will transfer to a 15,000 sq ft office building in Bloomsbury. It is a blow to the prestige of Bingley, which will see the present headquarters demoted to become the "Crossflatts Service Centre".

Hopefully the bank will retain its substantial link with the town as a major employer. And hopefully, too, it will not follow the example of the Halifax, which has not only shifted its HQ away from Yorkshire but has also changed its name.

If Bradford & Bingley does go along that regrettable route, though, and decides to pursue a total transformation of its image with a change of name, we understand that "Consignia" is currently available.