For this week’s movie, we highly recommend one of the two filmed versions of the story of David Fishwick’s “tiny bank” in Burnley, England. A Netflix movie on the Bank of Dave came out in January 2023, but there is also an earlier three-part British TV series from 2012 that provides a great overview. Both the movie and the series trace the history of the self-made millionaire from Lancashire County who—after the 2008 financial crisis and disgusted with the self-serving bonus system of the big predatory banks—opens his own “high street” community bank to loan to local businesses and families.

The bank helped thousands of people and donated surplus profits to local charities. This is an immensely inspiring biographical story of a man who took on something regarded as impossible and also successfully started parliamentary discussions on reforming the UK’s banking system to serve local economies.

2023 Netflix trailer (only available on Facebook).

2023 Netflix film on IMDb.

Watch the 2012 Channel 4 TV series (3 parts) on YouTube:

Related:

David Fishwick in interview on British ITV.

The Burnley Savings and Loans bank on Wikipedia.