THERE was a marked sadness this week, after the news that Tavistock's most famous store had gone into voluntary liquidation — but Creber's 130-year family delicatessen will be reopening next Tuesday (November 26) with a new couple at the helm.

Jack and Urszula Brudnik, who run 'Coffee and Cream' patisserie in Brook Street, have taken on the lease and intend to keep the 'legend' that is Crebers going into the future.

The store, which has been trading since 1881, was downsized in September to share its premises with the PAYless discount store, in a move that owner Robert Creber — the fourth generation of his family to run Creber's — said was 'a sign of the times' and that 'the building was not paying its way.'

Last week N H Creber was placed into creditors' voluntary liquidation, a move which was greeted with shock and sadness.

But new lease owner Jack Brudnik is determined that shoppers will see little change, if any, when the shop reopens.

'We are calling it Crebers and it will stock the same things,' he said. 'Our main goal is to save the legend that is Crebers. The place has a spirit and a tradition that goes back so many years and we want to keep that.

'It's all happened very quickly, but if we do not re-open before Christmas, the shoppers may never come back. People come to Crebers from all over the country especially at Christmas.'

Mr Brudnik, who came to England from Poland five years ago and fell in love with Tavistock, where he was based as European sales manager for Superwinch, said he had strong feelings about the town itself, and all its independent shops.

'Both my wife and I are really passionate about what we do and our aim is to put that same passion into this historic business which people really care about in Tavistock.

'We are great supporters of BID and Totally Locally and really want to promote the quality of what is offer in this town.'

The 39-year-old father of two opened 'Coffee and Cream' a year ago. He said in taking on this additional venture he had the full support from Robert Creber and his wife Tina, who had been invaluable with their advice.

'It is a very sad time for the Creber family but I hope we can do justice to the business,' added Mr Brudnik. 'We have the bakery at the back of the shop so can continue making the pies and baking the hams which is what the people come back for day after day.

'I think it is especially very important that we keep the elderly customers happy who have come to Crebers for year but also tap into the new generation of shoppers, the likes of whom we get in the patisserie, who also care about the quality of food.'