The empty shop fronts which have plagued the Royal Arcade for years are slowly starting to dwindle - and another tenant has just moved in.

The historic shopping strip has already had good news this year after it was announced that an indoor food market would be moving into the former Jamie Oliver's venue.

And now Lauren Rose Interior Design has revealed it to will be setting up in the heritage site - the first business to do so under the arcade's new ownership.

The site was bought in September for £3.4m by a large national firm.

And bosses behind Lauren Rose confirmed their shop will open on March 5.

Owner Lauren Collins-Hines, 29, launched her solo business in October and said how she fell in love with her new unit courtesy of its spiral staircase.

She said: "I am so delighted to have secured one of these prestigious units for my store.

"I can make this a real destination shop that will attract people who are interested in interior design or who are looking for ideas to redesign their own homes.

"With my brilliant suppliers and team of expert local tradespeople, I am able to create luxury interiors at a very affordable price. With the new food hall opening later this year I am really excited about the footfall we will attract.

“Having a store in the arcade will enable me to run design workshops for anyone who is interested in the topic, guiding them through the process and giving them an insight to what it’s like to work in the industry."

In the last 12 months, 1.7 million shoppers have passed through the arcade.

Carol Cooper, of Francis Darrah Chartered Surveyors - the company marketing shops in the arcade - added: “As the recovery from the pandemic kicks in, we are experiencing an upturn in interest from retailers seeking representation in Norwich.

"We believe we are well on the way to seeing the Royal Arcade Norwich full and bustling with customers and returning to its well-deserved position as Norwich’s jewel in the crown.”

What do we know about the new food hall opening in the arcade?

The venue aims to be a premium destination where visitors will find a range of food and retail stalls spread across the two floors of the former restaurant which has been closed since 2019.

A £1.5million investment is being made to open up the space to 300 customers.

Although still in the planning stages, the vision of operations director Dan Searle, co-owner of Mysabar, is to make the space modern and vibrant while retaining the building's heritage and character.

Mr Searle said: "This is an incredibly exciting thing to be happening in the city and a great opportunity to showcase genuinely passionate independent businesses in a beautiful setting.

"We have been inspired by the likes of the Seven Dials in London because Norwich deserves something equally exciting for food and drink lovers."