​Business is booming in Abbeymead and Abbeydale – with two new shops opening in the past few months.

Diamond Cuts in the Glevum Way shopping centre and Angell Pets in Mead Road both opened their doors recently.

And owners of the new initiatives are already reporting better success than they expected.

Jackie Nobles, owner of Diamond Cuts Unisex Hair Salon, researched the area and believed a hairdressing salon was needed.

She said: “We opened earlier this month.

“Business hasn’t been too bad at all.

“We’ve been busy and had quite a few people re-booking with us as well, which is brilliant.

“One of the reasons I came here is because it’s a good area.

“People come into the salon and are pleased we’re here. “They say it was needed.”

Richard Angell, director of Angell Pets, which opened in December, said business was already better than he had anticipated.

“I live in Abbeymead and know the area well,” he said.

“There used to be a pet shop in Glevum Way when Safeway was still there and so I knew a pet shop would do well in the area.

“Business is better than I thought it would be.

“With the recession, business is tough for everybody, but that’s no reason not to do it and we’ve actually done very well.

“I think Abbeymead is quite an affluent area and has coped better in the recession than other places.”

He added that the small shop had products for a wide range of animals.

“I do stock products for a lot of animals, from dog food and cat food and accessories,” he said.

“I have things for small mammals like rabbits and guinea pigs, for birds and reptiles and amphibians and fish accessories although I don’t yet have any fish here.

“I do get quite a lot of repeat business.”

Andrew Gravells, city and county councillor for the Abbey ward, said: “This is really good news for our area.

“It’s good to see some new businesses starting up, and providing these services to local people.

“They will do really well, and I wish them all the best of luck with their new ventures.”