Metro Bank will open its first store in Wales this week.

The challenger bank, in an investment creating 25 jobs, will launch its first store at Queen Street in the centre of Cardiff this Friday.

The store 鈥 the bank doesn't refer to them as branches聽 鈥斅犅 will be Metro Bank's 73rd in the 海角视频.

A drive-thru store at Newport Road in Cardiff, which will also create 25 jobs, will open later this year.

The bank, which was embroiled in an accounting error last year and has seen its share price plummet from 拢22 last January to around 拢2 currently, said it was bucking the industry trend which has seen many high street banks closing branches.

According to research from consumer body Which? There has been 230 bank closures in Wales since 2015.

The Cardiff store will be open seven days a week, with the promise of personal and business banking accountants being opened on the spot without need for appointment.

Metro聽Bank said it will also provide the opportunity for all staff to learn the聽 Welsh language, while Welsh speaking customers will be able to identify fluent Welsh speaking and learning staff through the wearing of the Iaith Gwaith logo.

The bank's managing director of retail and business, Ian Walters, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to be opening our first store in Wales and to become part of the local community in Cardiff.聽Metro聽Bank聽will provide the people of Cardiff with the very best in service and convenience as we open the first of our two stores in the city.

"We are dedicated to serving Welsh and English speaking customers with a聽banking聽experience like no other.鈥

Aled Roberts, Welsh Language Commissioner,聽added: 鈥淲e use聽banking聽services all the time in our everyday lives, so ensuring that more and more of these services are available in Welsh is key to my work.聽

"Our business team have been working with聽Metro聽Bank聽to help them develop their Welsh language offer. It is great that聽Metro聽Bank聽has shown such enthusiasm to use the Welsh language within their stores in Wales and we shall look forward to continuing with discussions as they establish themselves.鈥

Llanddewi Brefi-born John Lloyd-Jones, formerly with HSBC and Grant Thornton,has been appointed director in Wales for the bank.