Bristol & West

Building Society

. Based in Bristol in the west country with vast majority of branches south of Watford

. Ninth largest British building society

. 1.2m savings accounts

. 182,000 mortgage accounts

. 159 branches

. assets £8.5 billion

. £7.02 billion mortgages

. employees 2,200: 1,000 in Bristol head office

. reserves of £358 million

. net assets £360 million

. pre-tax profits of £77.1 million last year, before a £33.9 million write-off for Hamptons estate agency Hamptons

. cost/income ratio 52.9 per cent

Bank of Ireland in Britain

. 27 branches

. 725 employees

. BIHM's mortgage book £3 billion

. BIHM 1995/96 profit forecast by Riada stockbrokers £3 million (1994/ 95: £11 million)

Bank of Ireland

Group

. Assets £19.7 billion

. 95/96 pre-tax profit forecast £321.8 million

. Forecast earnings per share 44.2p

. Forecast after tax profit £224.5 million