A BUILDING more than 170 years old will be given a new lease of life after being purchased by an Ulverston businessman.

The HSBC building in Ulverston's New Market Street has stood empty and unused since the bank closed the branch last November.

It was not only a major economic blow for the area, but a sad end for one of the town's oldest, and grandest, buildings.

However, Ulverston-based firm, Cumbria Teaching Agency is now poised to move in after a six-figure deal was made to buy the building.

Tony Martinez, founder and director of the CTA, who are based at the Ulverston Business Centre across the street, said the time was right to move its growing team.

He said: "Since 2015 we've helped close to 2,000 schools; the aim was to help them save money. Since then the team has grown quite a bit.

"We've grown mainly so we can improve our service. We've moved three times, but as soon as this building came up we thought it would be a good chance to secure our own building."

Related story: Read about the decision to close the Ulverston branch

Mr Martinez said that he noticed the 'for sale' sign being attached to the side of the building as he was walking down New Market Street.

Then and there, he rang up the number and started the process of buying it. Close to six months later, and after a "six-figure" sum changed hands, the building is now his.

One of the prime motivations for purchasing the space was to make sure it still served the people of Ulverston. Mr Martinez did not want to see another landmark building converted into accommodation.

He said: "The last thing I wanted was for the building to become a block of flats. Personally, I didn't want to see another building become another piece of accommodation.

"It was ideal for us, not just that it is a beautiful building, I also wanted it to be something that benefited the town."

Initially, the office space will be occupied by the CTA, but in time, Mr Martinez hopes to open up the building to other companies, giving them a chance to grow as his company once did.

The team at CTA are hoping to move in by autumn, after the building has been made fit for purpose.

Scaffolding has already been put up in order to perform maintenance on the roof, and work on the interior is expected to start soon.

For the majority of people living in Ulverston, they will have always known the building as the location of a bank. First as the long-standing Midland Bank, and then HSBC after Midland was taken over in the early 1990.

After taking control of the building, Mr Martinez and his team decided they would include the community in the development process.

The office has long been known as the 'HSBC building' but with that no longer appropriate, the decision has been made to let the town decide.

He said: "The aim is to get someone to name it; I'd like to let the public have a say."

The name could be one special to the town, or in honour of a notable figure in the area - the choice will be up to the masses.

Mr Martinez added that he and his team were looking forward to the move, and hopefully a lasting relationship with the town.

He said: "We're not just here for the short term."