Young Tottenham entrepreneurs Jan Topcu and Fabio Teixeiro opened restaurant The Banc

Two young men have transformed an abandoned Tottenham bank into a thriving Mediteranean restaurant.

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Jan Topcu and Fabio Teixeiro, both 25, opened The Banc in West Green Road after beating off fierce competition to win the building, which was derelict for 11 years.

And since doors opened on December 18, it has gone from strength to strength.

Mr Topcu said: “The best way to describe it is West End quality at north London prices.”

Besides the restaurant, there is a chillout lounge, two-storey shisha terrace and a dedicated space with toys for mothers and babies during the day.

In the future, the former Park View Academy pupils hope to include live jazz and add modern British dishes to the menu.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Mr Topcu said: “Getting the place wasn’t easy because it belongs to a charity. I think that 50 or 60 people tried to get that place before we did.

“All the odds were against us but somehow people understood us.”

Although both studied marketing, it was their knowledge of the local area which really helped them get started.

“We went against every thing we learnt at university. We didn’t do any marketing. We knew we had a really good community on West Green Road and they are really encouraging us.

“That’s the side people don’t know about Wood Green and Tottenham. There is a great community.”

He added: “The best part is the when people realise we are the owners. Their reaction is unbelievable. Everyone understands that we could have spent this money anywhere else but we chose to spend it in Tottenham.”