WBK Bank, the Polish bank which is 60 per cent owned by AIB Group, has acquired a small co-operative bank in western Poland for between £1 million to £2 million. Komunalny Bank Spoldzielczy, which has been profitable since 1994 and has three branches, has its headquarters in Zielonagora, west of Poznan where the WBK headquarters is located.

The bank is a small co-operative owned by a large number of its 16,000 customers, an AIB spokesman explained. The members decided that the bank was too small to remain independent and sought offers, he said. The members voted to accept the WBK offer.