Great Yarmouth Victoria Arcade relaunched at special event

The event was held at Victoria Arcade on Tuesday night (October 31) as the new landlords, Modern Design and Developments Ltd, seek to rebrand the business.

Dubbed a 'grand reopening' by the owners, it was part of their plans to revitalize the shopping area which has struggled in recent years.

There was live entertainment and Halloween-themed games, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and then a fireworks display to mark the relaunch.

The ribbon is cut at the 'grand reopening' of the Victoria Arcade in Great Yarmouth on October 31. (Image: Modern Design and Developments Ltd)

A spokesperson for the owners said: "It was a great day out. We had lots of positive feedback and realised the great community hold there is for the place."

He said the arcade had a footfall of 180 people over the course of the evening and that shops sales were up 300pc compared to a normal day.

READ MORE: What can be done with Great Yarmouth's shopping arcade?

The 'grand reopening' of the Victoria Arcade in Great Yarmouth on October 31. (Image: Modern Design and Development Ltd)

Currently, 18 units are occupied while 22 are empty - but two of those will soon reopen as retail businesses after being rented out on Wednesday (November 1).

"This is outstanding progress for us to get the arcade back in shape," the spokesperson said. 

The landlords, who are next planning a Christmas party at the arcade, are planning to invest £60,000 in the "neglected" building after buying it at an auction last month. 

In recent years, Victoria Arcade - which was once a popular destination for shoppers in the town - has fallen on hard times due to an overall decline in footfall on the High Street. 

The building has passed hands many times in history. In 2015, it sold for £1.1m at auction. In 2017, HIS Investments paid £800,000 before putting the shopping centre back on the market last year for £700,000.

Modern Design and Developments Ltd bought the arcade for approximately £650,000.