Restaurateurs Mark and Claire Rushen are defying this winter's chill economic winds by offering gourmet goodies for sale at their new North Walsham delicatessen.

The couple have just opened The Cockerel Deli in the converted stable block outside their Cockerel Restaurant on the town's North Street.

Mr Rushen said they felt there was a gap in the local market for deli foodstuffs and he and his wife had decided to 'give it a go.'

But the venture was only able to get off the ground because of a customer's goodwill. He said: 'As a small business it was a nightmare dealing with the banks. They wouldn't lend us any money.

'Fortunately a customer heard about what we were trying to do and they have lent us what we needed, at commercial rates.'

The deli, which is open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, has created one full-time and one part-time job.

As well as 30 cheeses, including seven from Norfolk, stock includes the Cockerel's homemade 'sausage' rolls filled with black pudding or chorizo, as well as conventional sausagemeat.

Own-bake quiches and tarts are also on offer together with prepared salads, cold meats, olives and other traditional deli fare.

The couple, who also run an outside catering business, hope to supply gourmet hampers to local holiday homes and plan to add fresh and frozen ready meals to the deli's range shortly.

'It's another revenue stream for us and we want to make it work - you have got to try,' said Mr Rushen. 'We are selling stuff you can't get without travelling to Holt, Sheringham or Norwich and I think we can compete with Norwich.'