Dave Fishwick

Born in March 1971 in Nelson, Lancashire, Dave Fishwick left school at the age of sixteen without formal qualifications. He began his career in the automotive industry by refurbishing and reselling part-exchanged cars. This led him to diversify into vans and eventually minibuses, founding David Fishwick Minibus Sales. The company grew to become the largest minibus supplier in Britain, establishing sites in Colne, Birmingham, and Stockport. His early business ventures also included selling clothes and working as a disc jockey, demonstrating his entrepreneurial drive from a young age. From 2004 to 2017, his company sponsored Burnley F.C., with the Turf Moor stadium’s Cricket Field Stand named the David Fishwick Stand.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, Fishwick observed that traditional banks were unwilling to lend to his customers, which posed a threat to his business. In response, he began lending his own money and subsequently founded Burnley Savings and Loans in September 2011. Operating under the advertising slogan “Bank on Dave,” this initiative aimed to provide fair loans to local businesses and individuals, channeling all operating profits to charity. His journey to establish a community bank, despite regulatory challenges, was documented in the Channel 4 series “Bank of Dave” (2012–2013), and later loosely adapted into a 2023 Netflix film “Bank of Dave” and its 2025 sequel. The Channel 4 series received a British Academy Scotland Award in 2013 for Best Feature/Factual Entertainment Programme.

Fishwick continued his advocacy for banking reform and consumer protection. In 2014, he fronted “Dave: Loan Ranger,” a Channel 4 series investigating the payday loan industry, which earned him another British Academy Scotland Award for Best Current Affairs Programme. He has also featured in various other Channel 4 programs, including “The Secret Millions” (2013), “Can Property Pay Your Wages” (2015), “Shoppers Guide to Saving Money” (2015), “Dave’s Guide to Spending” (2017), and “How to Get Rich Quick” (2018). In 2020, he contributed to the BBC One daytime consumer show “Your Money And Your Life.” Additionally, he holds a pilot’s license for planes and helicopters, which he uses for his commercial vehicle parts business across Britain and Europe.