News / Bristol City Centre
The high security vaults hidden in the basement of Bristol office building
Beneath the streets of Bristol city centre lie high-tech vaults made up of six-sided reinforced concrete walls with motion sensors, bullet-proof glass and an iris scanner.
With no sign of its existence above ground, Bristol Vaults remains discrete on street level and is concealed under the ground of Colston Avenue.
The vaults have top security measures in place and are protected by cutting-edge 24/7 security and state-of-the-art technology.
The Vaults Group, Europe’s largest private safe deposit box provider, has invested almost £1m into the purpose-built premises that are the first privately-run facilities of their kind in the city. The vaults are run alongside a new business selling gold bullion.
Beneath the streets of Bristol city centre lie high-tech vaults made up of six-sided reinforced concrete walls with motion sensors, bullet-proof glass and an iris scanner – photo: @JonCraig_Photos
Vaults are often perceived as something old-fashioned and fictional, existing only in films like James Bond and Harry Potter.
But the team behind Bristol Vaults say such facilities are currently undergoing a resurgence.
The newly-opened vaults in the basement of an office building are in high demand, with a waiting list of around 450 people prior to the official opening.
Lee Brankin, regional manager of the south for The Vaults Group, told Bristol24/7 about the types of items which are being stored in the Bristol Vaults.
He said: “As well as cash and family heirlooms like jewellery, we store anything that’s precious to an individual.
“We’ve seen luxury watches stored here, keys for crypto-currency and gold bullion which may have been bought as a souvenir or given as a gift.
“The deposit boxes also store important documents like deeds, leases and wills, or items of sentimental value which are difficult or expensive to replace.
“We don’t ask what goes in the boxes, as long as it’s nothing illegal or perishable. We don’t have access to a customer’s box unless we have their card, there are two key locks per box for added security.”
The newly-opened vaults in the basement of an office building are in high demand – photo: Rachel Sutherland
Lee continued: “People are concerned about the risk of being hacked or burgled and some people just want a safe, reliable place to put their high-value belongings.
“Peace of mind is everything, and that’s what we provide.”
There are hundreds of safety deposit boxes of various sizes and capacities that can be rented on an annual basis. The smallest of the boxes costs £170 to rent for the year.
Main photo: Jon Craig
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