Nationwide may not get credit it deserves for mortgage lending

SPONSORS COME and go so when The Nationwide withdrew its corporate support of the England football setup in 2010 no-one was particularly surprised. Against a backdrop of rising house repossessions and general gloom their decision looked in tune with the national mood. In the year since their withdrawal Nationwide has quietly been getting on with business. Very quietly. So, when it announces that it, almost alone among high street lenders, has increased new mortgage business (helping home buyers) and increased profits (helping pensioners), will anyone notice? Now seems exactly the right time that the building society could do with a sports sponsorship, with widespread appeal on the eve of a major quadrennial event: something like the England football team on its way to the Euros perhaps.