Avenue Fabrics in Great Yarmouth moving due to high rent

Avenue Fabrics on Market Place has been selling linen, denim and net curtain fabrics in the town centre since 1990.

Moving onto the six-day market during its previous revamp, the store relocated to premises down Market Row before opening at its current location in 2018.

Now the business will be relocating six miles away to Broadland Nursery Garden Centre in October due to a high rent increase.

Matthew Nicholls, owner of Avenue Fabrics. (Image: James Weeds)"We just can't believe it is happening. It is such a shame," said owner Matthew Nicholls.

"A lot of our customers say they only visited the town centre as our shop was here. I do worry our relocation could be a blow to the town."

Mr Nicholls said he was informed in March that the premises' rent would be "more than doubled".

READ MORE: Kerrison Toys in Great Yarmouth looking at closing shop

Matthew Nicholls said he was past point of being angry about the rent increase. (Image: James Weeds)"We felt like there wasn't much room to negotiate and we gave in our six months' notice," he added.

"It seems as if the increases - which is in the thousands of pounds - could be due to redevelopment of the marketplace and my new rent was based on that of the German Doner Kebab shop.

"I've gone past the point of being angry about it."

The empty unit in 2018, months before Avenue Fabrics moved in. (Image: Google)The unit, which stands between Santander and The Works, was most notably the home of Clinton Cards for many years before becoming another card shop, children's clothes store and a loan brokers. The building stood empty for months before Mr Nicholls moved in and upgraded the interior.

"It still remains a very popular shop," Mr Nicholls added. "Which is why we are moving rather than closing down. 

"But we are aware that we have to re-establish ourselves in Ormesby and have had to make two redundancies due to the move."

Avenue Fabrics began on Avenue Road, Gorleston in 1989, by Mr Nicholls' mother, Susan, before moving to the town centre the following year.

FLASHBACK: Avenue Fabrics down Market Row in 2009. (Image: Newsquest Archives)