Nationwide has launched a new ad campaign and enlisted Dominic West to front it.

The actor, known as one of Britain’s most versatile thespians, stars in a humorous advert that promotes Nationwide’s policy of keeping branches open. He plays the role of a big bank manager who displays contempt toward both customers and staff, while obsessing over the grandeur of his office and extravagant expense account lunches. Determined to take cost-saving measures, he proposes branch closures and derides the hardships of customers who have lost their life savings as “a total yawnfest”.

He also tells his assistant that they are not Nationwide and shortly after that sees his ex-wife entering a Nationwide branch.

“Unlike the big banks, we’re not closing our branches,” the voiceover says at the end of the spot, adding the tagline “A good way to bank”.

Nationwide is embarking on its first significant revamp in almost 40 years, which will encompass a modernization of its well-known branch frontages and plastic cards. The bright blue and red logo is being replaced by a less garish abstract design.

The mutual building society said it now boasts the largest network of any High Street lender with 605 branches.