GREAT Yarmouth's Market Gates has been handed a pre-Christmas boost with the announcement that top outdoor brand Trespass is taking a prime unit.

The move, into the vacant Dorothy Perkins store at the main entrance, is being tipped as a show of confidence in the town where the economic down-turn has thrown up a clutch of empty shops.

The Glasgow-based chain sells ski-wear, accessories and weather-related outerwear. It has more than 100 stores and is expanding quickly across the country, with more opening every week.

Nick Spencer, centre manager at Market Gates said: 'I am delighted with the latest opening planned for Market Gates, and that we are introducing a new retailer to the shopping centre and town offering new products not currently available.'

He added: 'Yet again it shows confidence from retailers in the centre and Great Yarmouth'.

Town centre manager Jonathan Newman said: 'It is good news. It brings something to the town we have not already got. It is something people won't have to go to Norwich for and it is important that such a prominent location is filled by a good retailer.'

More than 100 Trespass stores are in operation throughout the UK, along with a number of stores across Europe and one in Dubai. In Europe alone the company employs more than 1,000 people.

The Yarmouth store opens on December 13 bringing six new jobs.

Meanwhile a budget chain is bracing itself for a busy morning when it opens its doors for the first time at 9am tomorrow (Saturday).

B&M has taken over the prime out-of-town site in Pasteur Road, from Homebase, bringing a new name to the borough and 80 new jobs.

Store manager Ben Dorward who opened the Lowestoft branch in July, said if experience was anything to go by staff could expected a deluge of customers lured by giveaways and bargains.

He added the company had found a willing crop of quality staff, all of whom had been taken on on a permanent basis with no plans to cut jobs after the Christmas rush.

Meanwhile local people had already shown plenty of enthusiasm, with many trying the doors and wandering in while the re-fit was being carried out hoping to browse.

Announcing the move the company said it had had its eye on the town for at least two years and was delighted to be opening the large 30,000 sq ft store on December 8.