St. John's Street prosperity

Nicola Garton, owner of The Wedding Shop in St John's Street, put the road's prosperity down to having well-established businesses and larger premises. But she admitted to being pleasantly surprised it was the town's second best occupied street in the retailers' survey. She added: "I think retailers are probably drawn here more than other roads, because it has shops which have been here for some time. People come back time and again because they know where to find those shops."

She thought the street's two empty shops - which are opposite hers - would shortly be open, with a Christmas shop and a kitchen and bathroom business due to move in.

Mrs. Garton added: "It has a real community atmosphere around here. I also think we benefit from having very few takeaways down here which are open at night, but closed in the day"