While big chain stores flee the high street, Great Yarmouth's Victoria Arcade has seen three brand new small businesses open up.

Fighting back as the town's economy suffers is Lucia Clay, 55 from Gorleston, who has opened up The Party Shop at 19-20 Victoria Arcade after being made redundant from her job as manageress of Pure Party on Regent Road in the summer, after its owner, Clinton Cards, went into administration in May. She also worked for Jarrolds when it closed after 150 years in Yarmouth.

Lucia, whose shop has been open for just over a month, said: 'I was looking for work, but there is not much around, so I thought you've got to give it a go.

'I wasn't about to remain unemployed. Opening a shop is quite manageable. The recession has made times hard and people are watching the pennies.

'I think if more people give it a go then we can build up a nice community down here, make it a nice place to shop with independent shops, something a little bit different maybe.'

She added that she has just got her Christmas stock in and is looking forward to supplying party goers with costumes and props.

Opening their shop only on Monday was Nigel and Kay Downham from Southtown, with their shop Ultimate Glitz, next door to The Party Shop.

They have been selling jewellery from a mobile shop for two years, some of it hand made, before deciding 'enough was enough; shop time.'

Kay, who sells jewellery and handbags with daughter and fashion advisor Lara, said: 'I worked for a company for years and I realised that the only way to make it in the world is to work for yourself.

'If you are putting in 100pc effort, you deserve the majority of the rewards. We are very optimistic, we had help from some very good friends.'

She added: 'We have got to get more people down here.'

Husband Nigel said: 'It has been a quick turn around, many late nights. It is not for the faint hearted, you must constantly reinvest in stock, every penny you can. We have not drawn much of a wage out of it for ourselves for a while.

'But give it a go, it's the only way to live.

'My father always said, 'there's only one place where success comes before work, and that's in the dictionary.'

Finally a third shop, round the corner in Victoria Arcade, opened just nearly two weeks ago. Kooky Culture sells items such as jewellery, hand made gifts, trinkets and homewares, bags, posters, and more.

The young entrepreneur behind the venture, Hannah Penney, 22, from Trinity Place, Great Yarmouth, said she sells 'a little bit of everything that's a little bit different.'

Hannah was offered the first month rent free as Victoria Arcade owners look to fill the empty shops.