Converting a grand listed building from its former use as a bank into a shoe shop has proved a tough task.

The former NatWest Bank on Duke Street, in Tavistock, dates from long before digital banking, so it is fully equipped with high security vaults and safes to handle tonnes of cash.

So, when Eskis shoe shop decided to expand from its popular Brook Street site into the stately building - some major safe-breaking was required for the change of use.

Business MD Jamie Prescott was taken by surprise at how difficult it is to break into your own vault as part of the conversion project.

Having been designed to defy bank robbers, the huge two-tonne vault doors were made of several layers of metal, copper, carbon fibre, steel and cement, were more than a match for the tools of the contractors who tried to remove one of the vault doors.

Jamie said: “The bank was designed to hold huge amounts of cash a time when farmers and other businesses brought in or took away actual money.

“Although I have to say moving into an ex-bank building was a lot more of a job than we had first anticipated! It was fascinating to see the old walk-in vaults and strong rooms that were fitted in the early 1960’s but trying to remove something that is supposed to be indestructible was a challenge.

“We naively thought we could remove the all trace of the vaults after the contractor blunted more than 30 of his discs cutting one of the doors into four. So, we decided to keep the second as an interesting historic feature. “

“Dealing with some experts in this field made me realise just how much cash & valuable items would have been held in branch as these vaults were fitted long before plastic cards were ever in use.”

Eskis have been open in Brook Street since 2017 and haver built a strong customer base stretching to Plymouth and beyond , offering 3,000 lines and 45 brands of shoes.

Jamie said: “We pride ourselves on offering a more traditional and caring service and ensuring that our customers have as much of our staff’s time and expertise as they require.

“We feel that we have grown to a point where our current location is too small to handle the level of stock we would like to carry therefore have made the decision to move to Bedford House and breath some life into the old NatWest Bank building bringing something fresh and exciting to the town square.

“By moving into a much larger premises we plan on introducing an even wider range of brands and styles and we are very proud of our ‘all under one roof’ approach – meaning that instead of galavanting around a number of different shops as you have to in other towns we have it all under one roof.”

He said the shop, formerly in the old Woolies building, before its current site, will be roomy, light and easy to get around at double the retail area.