Two mothers who were made redundant after a dancewear manufacturers closed in Beccles have joined forces to set up their own costume making business and have rehired the women they worked with.
Jenny Raven, 45, and Sandra Middleton, 43, were two of four women who lost their jobs after Stretch Dancewear in Station Road closed at the end of November.
Unsure what else they could do for work, the pair decided to become partners and use their experience to launch Spotlight Costumes working from a unit at Ellough Industrial Estate.
Mrs Raven said: 'It's quite worrying when you are middle-aged and suddenly out of a job and you think what on earth am I going to do now?
'After the initial panic we thought
right let's have a go on our own.
'They offered for us to buy their business but we just couldn't afford it. We could set up on our own for a lot less and we've taken on the other two girls who worked with us.'
Spotlight Costumes specialises in manufacturing outfits using stretch fabrics for dance shows, gymnastics, cheerleading, majorettes and skating. They also offer a same day alterations service, and their two employees, Isabel Galrinho and Susan Wilby, are trained seamstresses and can make anything from scratch using any design or material. They use fabric imported from Italy and strive to make their costumes as competitively priced as possible.
Although they have moved out of the town centre, Mrs Raven said their new home gives them more space to work in one room together, space for a changing room and parking for their customers.
She said: 'We've had a really good start. We are in the middle of making costumes for a show for a teacher in Kings Lynn which we never envisaged we would be doing in our first month and we've already got two more shows booked in for the spring.
'We wanted to stay in Beccles to remain as accessible as possible to all our old customers.'
The business is open Monday to Friday and customers are welcome to pop in between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Alternatively you can call 01502 217007 or visit www.spotlightcostumes.co.uk
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