WEDDING dress designer Tania Self-Dixon has opened a new shop – in the same town centre premises which burnt down in an arson attack eight years ago.

The Alicianna Bridal Lounge was launched last week in the Market Street premises in Cinderford which was lost in an arson attack the night before she was due to open there in July 2011.

Since the fire, Tania has been running the business from her home in Ross-on-Wye, but the amount of work meant she needed premises.

And with a completely new frontage, she says she didn’t realise initially that the shop was the same one which was gutted in a blaze after the arson attack targetted a flat above.

She said: “I needed a shop because I’d been working from home and had too many dresses in the house and started looking around.

“I drove past here and saw a notice to let.

“There is a different shopfront now, so I was completely confused.

“I thought I was looking at somewhere else,” she added.

“It didn’t look like the same place.

“I asked the landlord which one was Bonsers, and he said this one and I said ‘Oh great. You know the shop that burnt down the day before it opened – that was me!

“It was random as I had looked at different places like Ledbury, Ross and Raglan, but this was meant to be,” she said.

Tania added that despite the devastating fire she still had to work.

She said: “I worked from home.

“I managed to get some more machines and pay off all the debts.

“All the dresses I had in I’d got out the day before for the fresh launch, nobody’s dress got lost,” explained Tania.

“But I was so overrun (at home) I had to get premises.”

The shop’s name comes from the names of her daughters Brianna and Alicia who are both joining her in the business.

She said: “Brianna is interested in prom dresses and Alicia does make-up.”

As well selling wedding dresses designed by herself and others, Tania also does alterations for other shops.

She added: “I’ve made jackets for Drybrook Ladies Choir and we are fitting a quiet sleeping area, which looks like a four-poster bed at Walford Nursery.

“We’ve drawn a line under what happened and we are very much looking forward.

“It’s a new beginning and it is looking very positive.”