Historic High Peak bank building transformed into fine dining restaurant

The grade II listed building on Market Street was closed by Royal Bank of Scotland in 2019 but has been revived as Deacon’s Bank, the original 19th century name still carved above the door, though diners and drinkers can expect a very different kind of exchange these days.

Local resident Tom Gouldburn, who works in major infrastructure construction and develops property as a sideline, decided to try applying his skills to the restaurant trade as the building presented a mouth-watering opportunity.

He said: “When I bought it, it was just about my love for a beautiful building. I wanted to see it lived in again, and didn’t want someone else to have the luxury of restoring it.

“Lots of people are coming in to see how it’s been developed. Some of them would have been standing here four years ago to apply for a mortgage, now it’s a high-quality fine dining restaurant.”

He added: “It’s a relief to see the building finished and people sat here eating in a lovely space. We opened two weeks ago and so far it’s all gone well and we’re getting very good feedback. It’s really exciting and I think we’re in a good place to be successful.”

The renovations dished up plenty of challenges on a narrow site with lots of original features to preserve and a high-security bank vault to be converted into a professional kitchen

While Tom relished the role of project manager – aided by friends, family and many local tradespeople – when it came to running a restaurant he needed other expertise and luckily the perfect candidate was right on his doorstep: head chef Simon Harrison, formerly of Losehill House Hotel and Spa near Hope.

Tom said: “Simon and I were in the same year at Buxton Community School, 1999 to 2004. We hadn’t spoken since but we were Facebook friends and I saw that he’d won a couple of awards from the Staff Canteen, a big, high-profile website for chefs.

“Only then did I realise he was at Losehill. Without saying anything, I went there straight away to study his menu and look and what he was doing, then reconnected with him.”

Prior to Losehill, Simon spent the best part of a decade running the Haddon Restaurant at the Izaak Walton hotel in Dovedale, earning a double AA rosette status by drawing on some of Derbyshire’s best producers and suppliers.

The chance to invest all that knowledge and skill in the Deacon’s vault, and put dining front and centre, was another irresistible opportunity.

Simon said: “I’ve spent most of my career in hotels so it’s nice to step back into a full restaurant role and concentrate on on the food, rather than everything else that comes with a hotel.

“I could see that everything Tom was doing, the way he was developing it, was to a really high standard so it was quite an easy decision.”

He added: “The menu will be changing regularly. I’m trying to make it as varied as possible, and maybe push people’s boundaries with things they’ve not tried before. I’m challenging myself and the team to reach the level we want to be at.

“The customers’ enjoyment is at the forefront of everything we’re doing, but we do want to push for awards. That’s what we’re aiming for, and that’s about consistency, maintaining the highest of standards, and giving everyone a memorable experience they’ll want to come back for.”

A big part of that task falls to Zoe Ryan, who is responsible for day-to-day management, front-of-house and business development, and who was so convinced by the restaurant’s potential that she uprooted from her native North East to live in High Peak.

Zoe said: “I have a lot of admiration for what Simon is doing with the menu, what Tom has done with the renovations and their plans going forward. That was enough for me to pack my bags.

“It’s been great to meet all the customers, and the feedback has all been positive. There’s still a lot of training going on behind the scenes. We want to meet every need as part of the experience, and there’s still lots more to come.”

The restaurant seats around 30 people and the plan is to start catering for private events such as weddings and baby showers, but for now the team of 12 are feeling their way into regular lunch and dinner opening, Wednesday to Sunday, and a waiting list of more than 1,000 people who have followed the bank’s transformation on social media.

The menu includes a sizeable range of snacks for anyone who wants to pop in and soak up the venue’s atmosphere over a cocktail, glass of wine or bottle of the restaurant’s own IPA.

Anyone with a particularly keen interest in food can book the exclusive chef’s table, next to the kitchen, where they can sample ingredients, watch Simon and his colleagues up close and talk to them about the dishes as they work.

Tom said: “Our online statistics show there’s a real momentum and buzz around the restaurant at the moment, and more than 60 per cent of people are travelling in.

“Looking at the local area, 90 per cent of the food options are pub grub. We’re trying to be different, bring people into Chapel and get them enjoying the town while they’re here. This is not an everyday Chinese or Indian. It’s a place for a celebration or a treat. Maybe that means saving up, but you will definitely get what you pay for.

Simon added: “Living in town, knowing the area and the community, we really want to put it on the map.”

For more information and bookings, go to deaconsbank.co.uk.