RETAILERS in Dorchester are still riding a wave of spending success – with three stores opening their doors on the same day.

The new shops join a growing number of largely independent stores that have opened in the county town in just over a year – taking the tally of new shops up to 28, contrasting with 16 shops closing in the last year.

And now the county town is experiencing a sudden surge of specialist shops drawn to one particular area of the town centre.

In the midst of a recession, the town centre’s Antelope Walk – just off the main shopping street – appears to be booming.

Small businesses have rushed to fill vacant shops in the narrow lane on the back of Dorchester’s apparent ability to defy the recession.

Eco-clothing shop Ascension, plus size fashion store Figure Eight and home-grown produce shop Joshua’s are all officially opening today.

Joshua’s shop manager Mark Essame said he opened his venture in town because Dorchester ‘has a real buzz about it’.

He said: “We had a look at different towns and we chose Dorchester because it seems to be punching above its weight.

“I think there is the market for all this here.”

The family business, which Mr Essame describes as a ‘wholesome natural food’ shop, started out on a farm in Ottery St Mary, Devon.

The trio of new shops comes after more than 20 new businesses and shops moved into the county town within the last 12 months.

Adam Smith, CEO at Ascension, said: “With Dorchester being a transition town there is clearly a growing ethical and eco-movement in Dorset.

“Antelope Walk is a great fit for us because of an increasing number of local fashion and ‘ethical’ businesses.”

Elaine Keetch, manager of Figure Eight, is holding a special open day today with bunting, makeovers and refreshments She said: “Dorchester is a really vibrant town with interesting people. There’s a lot going on and there seems to be a demand for stylish clothes for shapely women, because fashion is for everyone.”

Dorchester Business Improve-ment Development manager Phil Gordon said: “This is absolutely fantastic news, it wasn’t much more than about four or five months ago that Antelope Walk was half empty and one of the few remaining places in town that needed to catch up with the rest of the roads.

“I’m delighted that it now appears to have caught up in style.”