A FORMER Lake District bank transformed into a chocolate and sweet shop is set to open its doors for the first time on Monday (June 1).

Around 700 different types of chocolate treats will be on offer on opening day when the Webster family start trading in the former HSBC building on Market Place in Ambleside.

Brothers Michael and Richard, owners of chocolate experts Ye Olde Friars, are hoping they will entice people in with the offer of free chocolate and jelly beans after spending £100,000 on refurbishing the building with custom made fixtures and fittings.

The family is expanding its empire for the first time since it opened a store in Keswick in the 1920s.

Michael said: “We’re really excited about opening the second branch of Ye Olde Friars. Our family formula of bringing speciality high quality chocolate to the English high street has worked well in Keswick since my grandmother’s brother opened the original shop in 1927.

“We’re confident we can bring that same charm and experience to Ambleside and can’t wait to throw the doors open and welcome our first customers in.”

Richard added: “Times have changed but there is still a demand for the traditional, slightly nostalgic flavours like rose and violet creams. Tastes have changed too and new ingredients are always adding a new twist, now we have chilli and lime chocolate and peanut butter and jelly flavours among our truffles.

“When we open, we’ll have free tastings of our luxury chocolate drops for the first week. It’ll be interesting to see whether people can identify, in a blind tasting, which of the seven flavours they are trying - whether it is milk, white, cappuccino, honey, strawberry, lime or orange. There’ll also be special Jelly Belly bean ‘cocktails’ for people to try - we’ve been busy making ‘lemon meringue pie’ and ‘blueberry muffin’ combinations for people to sample.”

Ye Olde Friars has a constantly changing range of novel seasonal gifts as well as locally produced chutneys, preserves and biscuits.

Craftsmen from Keswick Joiners have created bespoke counters for the new shop, which are mixed with vintage and antique fixtures and fittings to create the Ye Olde Friars feel.

Seven permanent jobs have been created and seasonal opportunities will also be available.