International law firm Gowling WLG has advised Metro Bank on two of its first store openings in the West Midlands.

The Intu Merry Hill shopping centre store, located in Brierley Hill, will be the first Metro Bank to open in the Black Country. It will also be the region's first drive-thru banking experience, allowing customers to carry out cashier services from the comfort of their cars. This followed hot on the heels of the launch of its new Birmingham city centre store in early August.

Both stores will combine face-to-face banking with state-of-the-art technology, providing residents and businesses with a customer-focused and convenient banking experience.

The new stores form part of Metro Bank's UK growth strategy as it continues to build its store network at a time when other traditional players in the industry are closing branches.

The Gowling WLG team, which included Joe Morris and Sophie Blight, advised on the real estate and construction aspects of the two projects.

These deals highlight Gowling WLG's ability to deliver high quality, sector expertise on strategic transactions, which will transform the banking landscape in the West Midlands.