Opening a shop called "Recession" in the middle of the credit crunch might seem to be taking a sense of irony a bit too far – but Bristol retro clothing fan Gill Loats is certain it will be a success.

She says the current economic climate is the perfect time to open a second-hand clothes shop.

Mrs Loats, 50, set up her business to satisfy her passion for vintage threads – and to de-clutter her house.

"With Recession, I am selling retro and vintage clothes from the last five decades, with lots from the Eighties and Nineties," she said.

"But the shop will also have lots of other things, like recycled jewellery and household bits and bobs.

"I am a terrible hoarder and collector, and just about every corner of my house has been stuffed with things I've picked up and thought "oh, that will be a collector's item one day, I'll keep that".

"A lot of the stuff is what I have collected down the years from charity shops, second-hand shops and rummaging around.

"It is a lifetime's work and now I am going to sell it all. My husband is very pleased the house is going to be clear, but for some reason it still looks as good as it ever did."

Mrs Loats, who lives in Southville and is one half of the Show of Strength theatre company, says that her business is partly a solution to her mid-life crisis, but is convinced that the second-hand clothing market is about to take off.

"Retro and vintage clothing has been a lifelong passion of mine," she said.

"I am really into design and style and always knew I wanted an outlet for that and have had it in the back of my mind.

"Now is the right time for me to open the shop personally, and young people are now buying second hand clothes again, which they haven't done for years, since the Eighties.

"I grew up buying stuff in charity shops, but in recent years everything has had to be designer stuff.

"But now people are trying to be individual again – time is coming back round."

And she is ready to take advantage of the credit crunch to help her shop take off.

"People will have to think before they spend lots of money, and about how they spend it," said Mrs Loats.

"So many people use their credit cards to the maximum, but in my shop you will only be able to buy with cash.

"People will have to be able to afford it to buy it."

Recession, at 8 Jacob's Wells Road, Bristol, will open this weekend with a Christmas fair.