THE Furness Building Society has opened its first branch in Kendal.

The new store at 2 Stricklandgate was formally opened by Chief Executive Nigel Quinton and is part of its strategy to increase the range of face-to-face financial services for customers.

Mr Quinton said: “2014 was a successful year for us, thanks largely to the trust and confidence that our customers have in the Furness as a financial institution which not only provides the products and services they want, but has in many cases also served their parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

"As a mutual society we have a special relationship with the communities we serve and we take that relationship very seriously.

“That’s why in 2015 we are continuing to extend our services to customers. For example, we have been putting more mortgage advisors into our branches while banks have been pulling theirs out of the High Street, and we are creating and supporting agencies in villages like Ambleside to provide access to financial services where banks are closing branches."