Digital Phone Company ticks Diss off the list after opening of new store in Mere Street

A family-owned phone business that had its sights on a town for a number of years has finally achieved its goal by opening a new store there.

Digital Phone Company began welcoming customers on Monday to its shop at The Octagon in Mere Street, Diss, which was previously the Tourist Information Centre.

The company, which was formed in 1994, is East Anglia’s longest established and largest independent mobile phone retailer, with a number of branches in Norfolk, including in Thetford, Swaffham and Fakenham.

Richard King, sales director, started working at Digital Phone Company when he was 21 years old and has worked at the business for the last 28 years.

“It feels really good to be here and it has been brilliant to see the reaction since we opened,” he said.

“I think people in the area are very happy that they have got a phone shop back in Diss as we’re the only one in the town, so it has been really busy and we’ve had a positive response.

“We actually used to have a shop here from 2001 to 2003 and ever since then, Diss has been on our list of places where we’d like to open.

“We looked for years and only wanted to come back for the right place and we have finally found it now so it’s a really great feeling.”

The company, which is well-known for being the shirt sponsor of Norwich City between 2001 and 2003, started looking at the shop four months ago and submitted an offer.

After it was accepted, it took just under two months for the store to be completely fixed up thanks to the efforts of their maintenance worker Keith, who did all the work despite recovering from a knee operation.

Richard said: “We have an unbelievable building with its octagon shape and we actually think it’s the best position in the town too.

“There’s lots of window space so people can look through it and see what is going on which I think helps encourage them to come inside.”

“We hope to get support from the community, especially as people are happy they don’t have to travel to Bury St Edmunds or elsewhere now for a phone shop.”

Phil Rider, founder of the Digital Phone Company, said: “We hope to create a space where people feel comfortable coming and asking those ‘silly’ questions.

"There are no such things as silly questions for us because not everyone is comfortable with these devices.”

The shop is open between 9.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday and is shut every weekend.