A DIRECTOR of a retail store says her business has ‘hit the ground running’ after opening a new fully refurbished shop costing over £10,000.

Footwear and Fascinators Ltd reopened at 21 Portland Walk in Barrow on November 3 after being located at 22 Duke Street in Barrow Indoor Market for the past 30 years.

Director of the shop Andrea Scraggs believes her business will do much better in the new location.

It comes after BAE Systems announced in January this year that they had bought the former Debenhams, WHSmiths, Body Care and The Sweet Emporium stores in the town centre.

She said: “I think people are fed up with not having anywhere to go shopping.  

"I think it will be a lot busier when BAE eventually open but at the moment we’ve hit the ground running - it’s been fabulous.

“There’s going to be a new feel to Barrow town centre and we can’t wait to be part of it. I think it’s the right time for BAE to be investing."

Mrs Scraggs first established her business in Barrow Indoor Market seven years ago when the previous owners retired.

The retail store was formerly known as ‘Discount Footwear and Fascinators’ but has now been renamed in order to sell more high-end goods.

“The shop was so busy on our first weekend and there were lots of people coming in wishing us good luck,” she added. They were saying how nice it was to see shops open again. That meant more to me than the money we took.

“A lot of people that didn’t go into the market have been popping in and saying they didn’t know we had this. It’s amazing after 30 years that people don’t know who we are.

“I want to be here for as long as I can serving the people of Barrow.”

The shop has undergone a refurbishment costing around £12,000 and has had new windows, flooring, lighting, shutters, signs and a new CCTV unit put in place since Mrs Scraggs first got the keys five weeks ago.

Barrow Market manager Jacqui Armstrong said: “We said a fond farewell to Andrea and Colin at the end of October and wish Discount Footwear all the very best success for the future.

“They are going to be missed by all in the market hall, but we are also very proud to see another of our local independent businesses branch out into the town centre.’’