The Cumberland is set to unveil its new flagship branch in Carlisle after a major refurbishment.

The reopening, on October 14, will be especially significant for Victoria Rose, who has been promoted to lead the branch on English Street.

Ms Rose joined The Cumberland 15 years ago at the age of 18, and has worked her way up to become the cluster manager for Carlisle, meaning she now leads all of The Cumberland's branches in the city.

Ms Rose said: "There is huge anticipation in the business about the reopening of English Street.

"I am taking over at a very exciting time for The Cumberland in Carlisle.

"It's really amazing to have this opportunity.

"There may have been a glass of prosecco when I found out I had the job!”

She joined the building society as a branch assistant at the Cockermouth branch after deciding that university was not for her.

She said: "I knew I wanted a good job with a local company where I could learn things and there would be career progression."

She quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a mortgage advisor, assistant manager in Workington, and then the cluster manager for the West Cumbria branches.

In November, she was promoted to the Carlisle role, putting her in charge of 40 colleagues serving thousands of customers.

She said: "From a management career perspective, it was a real achievement.

"This is my next challenge."

The Carlisle branch on English Street has undergone a refurbishment, and is described as a branch 're-imagined for the future' of The Cumberland's banking.

Ms Rose said: "English Street will still feel like a Cumberland branch but the look will be very different.

"The design is very Cumbrian and authentic.

"Different areas of the branch reflect different parts of the county such as West Cumbria with its industrial heritage and the calm and tranquillity of the Lake District."

The themes from the English Street branch will be rolled out to other branches.

Ms Rose said: "A lot of towns have lost their bank.

"We want to show that The Cumberland is proud to be from this part of the world and the new English Street branch reflects that."

Ms Rose has no regrets about university not working out for her when she was a teenager.

She said: "I love working for The Cumberland.

"Being able to make a mark is amazing.

"I have been lucky in my career.

"On my first day as an 18-year-old thinking 'can I do this', I had a team of people saying 'I have got your back'."

Last year, along with other Cumberland employees, Ms Rose volunteered at a foodbank as part of The Cumberland's charitable initiative, Kinder Kind of Kitchens.

She said: "Yes, we are a building society, but we are also there for our customers and our community.

"I'm proud of that."