FASHION and home furnishings store Laura Ashley is making a return to Kendal - two years after its factory shop closed at K Village.

The High Street name, which has suffered mixed fortunes in recent years, has secured a prime position in the Elephant Yard shopping centre, facing Prelude cafe.

The store is due to be opened by a celebrity - as yet unnamed - on November 24.

It is expected that six to eight jobs - probably full-time - will be created at the store.

Interviews were due to take place yesterday (Thursday) at Kendal JobCentre for the posts of store manager and assistant manager.

Jessica Edwards, press representative for Laura Ashley, said the company was opening one of its "new look" stores in Kendal, with 1,000 square feet of clothing, and 2,000 square feet of home furnishings.

"It's still quite a traditional look, but they've got a cream-coloured shopfront, instead of the traditional green.

It's going to be a lot lighter and brighter than the stores used to be."

The Laura Ashley factory shop at K Village was one of many stores which closed two years ago when the company's fortunes suffered a downturn.

"They did go through some quite hard times," said Miss Edwards, "but they've turned the corner now and they are managing to go round the country refitting existing stores.

They obviously felt Kendal was a place they wanted to be, and they are eager to get back into Kendal."

The company was founded by Welsh fashion and textile designer Laura Ashley, whose dresses in traditional floral patterns became extremely popular from the 1960s.

The chain of shops spread to Europe, America, Australia and Japan.

Figures announced recently show that Laura Ashley is back in profit for the first time in three years.

Peter Boyd, Elephant Yard's centre manager, said: "It's great Kendal can attract these big retailers - a great sign for us.

"We've also some other big names very close now.

We are looking mainly towards fashion retailers, which we feel is a great bonus for Kendal because it will become a fashion capital of the Lakes, of Cumbria."

Pat Alcock, of Kendal JobCentre, said: "Elephant Yard is really proving itself to be an excellent opportunity for Kendal.

It's going to bring in tourists from the Lakes, and has created quite a range of jobs.

They are all big-name employers, and it's certainly given Elephant Yard a status in Kendal, and will benefit the whole town."

l Blacow's Menswear is moving across to Elephant Yard from the Westmorland Shopping Centre.

The new 1,100 square feet store is due to open in late November.