in new branding The society was registered as the
Leeds and Holbeck (Permanent) Building Society in 1875, though the society originated from a group called the Leeds Union Operative Land and Building Society which formed in 1845. It should not be confused with the defunct
Leeds Permanent Building Society, which was also known as
The Leeds, which merged with the
Halifax Building Society on 1 August 1995. On 1 August 2006, following approval by the Mercantile members and confirmation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), Leeds Building Society merged with
Mercantile Building Society, in
North Shields, an area of
North Tyneside, in
Tyne and Wear. ==Sponsorship==