THOSE wanting that all important pint-sized pram or tiny TV aerial will have to go that bit further once a specialist shop closes. Having sold everything from handmade mini coffins to dolls, Penwoods Dolls Houses Miniatures' little world is coming to an end thanks to the big recession.

THOSE wanting that all important pint-sized pram or tiny TV aerial will have to go that bit further once a specialist shop closes.

Having sold everything from handmade mini coffins to dolls, Penwoods Dolls Houses Miniatures' little world is coming to an end thanks to the big recession. The shop, based in Deneside, Great Yarmouth, will have served loyal customers for nearly seven years when it shuts for the last time on January 31.

Owner, Angela Pendal, 57, of Bradwell first became interested in miniatures after seeing her sister Kathleen's collection of dolls' houses. It was to prove the start of a long love affair.

The Bradwell resident expressed her sadness at closing after struggling with dropping numbers of customers for a year. She said:

“We hung on because we thought things might get better but they haven't. A lot of the people who visited weren't just customers - they were friends too.”

Angela's own pride and joy is a doll's house based on Stranger's Hall in Norwich which combines her two passions. “I love history, and after visiting the museum I was inspired to create my own house with six rooms all in different styles, one being Tudor. The business might be closing, but the passion is still there.”

ends