Swedish bank moves into Kendal (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Swedish bank moves into Kendal

9:53am Friday 30th July 2010 in

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A SWEDISH bank which claims to offer an alternative business strategy has moved into South Lakeland.

Handelsbanken has opened at the Bridge Mill Business Centre, Kendal, and managers claim it offers something totally new for the area.

The bank has needed no financial support from the government during the recession and has no sales targets or staff bonuses.

Branch manager Mike Fell said the local knowledge of the bank’s four Kendal staff would work in the customers’ favour.

“All four of us have been in Kendal for over 20 years, so we know our patch,” he said. “We try to provide a bespoke service to clients. We look at businesses on their own merit and nothing goes out these four walls - all decisions are made here. Even customers’ new cheque books are sorted out in the building.”

“We want to re-introduce the good old days of banking.”

The Kendal branch will be number 83 in the UK for Handelsbanken, and 19 more branches are planned for the coming year.