NATIONAL lifestyle fashion retailer White Stuff are moving to Kendal.

They will move into 21 Finkle Street - most recently occupied by the charity shop, he YMCA.

Work has started on fitting out the premises ready to open on April 14.

The letting has been completed by chartered surveyors Peill & Company.

They also agreed a letting to Joules on Stricklandgate at the end of last year.

Peill say it represents another national retailer coming to Kendal and 'demonstrates a significant upturn' in the take-up of vacant units in the town centre.

In February and March alone, Peill & Company say they have agreed deals on five shops on Finkle Street and Stramongate - in addition to other lettings in Blackhall Yard, Stricklandgate, Highgate, Lowther Street and elsewhere in the town.

Simon Adams, director of Peill & Company, based on Gulfs Road, Kendal, commented: “White Stuff taking a unit in the town is further evidence of what appears to be an increase in confidence from both small retailers and strong niche retailers in acquiring premises in market towns such as Kendal.

"Throughout 2014, we had seen a significant increase in enquiries, not just from retailers but from small businesses, office occupiers and industrial occupiers."

White Stuff is an outdoors and lifestyle clothing retailer established in the Alps in 1985 and already has stores in Carlisle and Keswick in Cumbria.

The brand has grown from selling t-shirts to fund the founders’ ski season to 85 shops throughout the UK.