Name adopted for new head office – The Bendigo Centre

Bendigo Bank’s new head office will be known as The Bendigo Centre following an announcement made by the Bank today.

Bendigo Bank Managing Director Rob Hunt said the name reflected the colloquial name for the Company.

“Ever since our building society days, people have referred to us as ‘the Bendigo’, so it seemed the obvious name for our new building,” Mr Hunt said.

Mr Hunt said the name also reflected the significance of the new building and the impact it would have on the city.

“The new head office will be more than just an office building,” Mr Hunt said.

“Up to 1000 people will be based in The Bendigo Centre at any one time, creating a real business and community hub,” he said.

“There will be a retail precinct, restaurants, a new public square and a boardwalk over the Bendigo Creek – it really will create a new and vibrant area for our city.”

Also announced today were the names of the public square and two pedestrian laneways that will run between High Street and Bath Lane, through The Bendigo Centre.

These areas will be known as:

• Lyric Square – the public square, to be built on the site of the Lyric Theatre, will pay tribute to the theatre’s history.
• Laity Lane – named after long-serving Bendigo Bank employee Doug Laity, who worked with the Bendigo Building Society for more than 48 years.
• Perrow Walk – named after the Bendigo’s longest-serving Manager Frank Perrow and his son John, also a long-serving Bendigo senior manager.

Doug Laity and John Perrow today joined Mr Hunt to inspect construction of Stage One of The Bendigo Centre, as it progresses quickly towards completion.

“The Laity and Perrow names are synonymous with Bendigo Bank and its culture, so it is fitting that they are recognised as we move into the future in our new home,” Mr Hunt said.

“Frank Perrow developed and really championed the Bendigo way – he started with the Building Society at just 14 years of age, running papers to the Managing Director and assisting his boss with his horse. He went on to manage the company for 30 years.

“His son John was also a long-serving member of our organisation. He worked in a variety of roles and was instrumental in our conversion from building society to bank.

“Doug Laity was a dedicated member of the Bendigo Bank team – he was well liked by staff and had a brilliant rapport with his Bull Street and Fountain Court branch customers for more than 48 years.”

Construction continues on The Bendigo Centre with internal fit-out, steel roof construction and façade installation underway.

Work on Stage One is expected to be complete by mid-2007.