PRIVATE banking has come to Northallerton.

Brown Shipley & Co already has merchant and private banking operations in London, Harrogate, Leeds, Manchester and Jersey.

Now it has appointed Mr Jonathan Craig (pictured) to head the service alongside its existing range of investment and stockbroking services from its offices in South Parade.

Mr Craig, a former business manager with NatWest in Yorkshire, said private banks used to be seen as solely for the privileged classes but were now attracting a whole new range of clients.

"Increasing wealth means there are thousands of people with sizeable liquid assets," he said.

"Often they want a bank that can give a more personal service and take a more pro-active approach to managing their money."

Private banking has also become more popular as many high street banks have closed local branches and become increasingly impersonal.

"Our approach is very different to that of a high street bank," said Mr Craig, who has 14 years banking experience.

"First we get to know the client and then develop a personalised service that meets their needs, rather than pushing a standard banking package and expecting the client to fit into it."

Brown Shipley, formerly known as Cawood Smithie, gives each client an account manager who is responsible for everything from basic cash management to advising on the use of the money markets to make their funds work harder.

Mr Robert Way, UK head of Brown Shipley Private Banking, said Yorkshire was home to some of the most entrepreneurial business and professional people.

"We have already established a strong presence in Leeds. The decision to extend the service to Northallerton reinforces our commitment to providing a high degree of personal service to clients throughout the region," he said.

Brown Shipley was founded in Liverpool in 1810 by the eldest son of belfast linen merchant, Alexander Brown.

Through the efforts of the Brown family and Joseph Shipley, it rapidly became a respected independent merchant bank and, in 1863, moved to its present offices at Founders Court in London.

It is part of Krediietbank Luxembourg, the major European private bank.