ROYAL banker Coutts could open a North-East branch to cater for the region's growing number of millionaires.
The 310-year-old bank, traditionally associated with the Royal Family and the landed gentry, is looking to expand out of London.
Now part of NatWest, it has earmarked Newcastle and Liverpool for possible branches and it has doubled the size of its office in Birmingham.
The bank, which only deals with people with more than £500,000 - excluding the value of their home - is now targeting customers such as footballers and National Lottery winners.
Although the South-East has the most millionaires, 150,000, researchers say an estimated 2,276 live in the Newcastle area. On Merseyside the figure is 3,000.
Coutts' head of regional branches Peter Mawdsley said: "There are now fantastic opportunities in these cities, which is the reason for the expansion."
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