Former actress Joanna Nuttall is selling shoes that are real show-stoppersShe says that she's got “terrible feet” so it's quite funny that she should end up having a shoe shop.

Former actress Joanna Nuttall is selling shoes that are real show-stoppers. She talked to Victoria Hawkins

She says that she's got “terrible feet” so it's quite funny that she should end up having a shoe shop.

“In fact I have got dreadful feel,” says Joanna Nuttall, “and I'm having to have surgery to have them re-modelled next year!”

But that doesn't stop her love of shoes, glorious shoes and the ritzier, snazzier and more dazzling they are, the better she prefers them. And a touch of drama is what Joanna loves, after all she went to Manchester Met School of Acting (Julie Walters and Steve Coogan's alma mater) and trod the boards for five or six years herself.

Hence the former actress' first venture into retail with Shoes Glorious Shoes - even the name sounds like a song from a musical - the shop she's opened in Girls Love Roses in Alexander House, Fore Street, Ipswich.

From scalloped pink satin bow shoes (perfect for a wedding) to peacock blue satin shoes with a jewel on the front or simply shoes with killer heels, Joanna is going for a real touch of pede-drama!

“I wanted to reach out to people in this county who have a bit of style but want something a bit different but who also don't want to pay extortionate prices for them,” she said.

“I have always loved really girlie things like fashion and shoes and my other interest is people, so I love getting people in here, talking, building a relationship and making a sale.

“It's my first time in retail. I was looking at doing lingerie but decided on shoes and set it all up in about four weeks. When Girls Love Roses was taken over by Amanda Bostock and her daughter Sarah Allen, who I have known since I was at school, I decided to come in with these guys so I'd be with other women doing things for themselves and have a bit of support.”

Along with a whole range of French Sole, the original ballet pump, now must-have flatties (which cost around £78 - and she's stocking leopard prints ones as well as plain ones with a toe cleavage), other great names she is stocking are Bourne Collection and Unisa.

“They're amazing shoes, very different but not too wacky and fairly unique,” she explained and you'll find exotic satin shoes with zips up the back, four inch heels and ankle straps with crystals and bows at the back and others that tie up your leg.

Or how about dove grey satin boots (£87), with diamanté feathers, satin ribbons and beading or maroon suede boots with a lace up back and diamanté edged bow at the base plus diamanté embellishing the lace holes.

“You can come in and pay £60 for a pair of really nice heels, but I have got shoes for £50 and £30 too,” she added.

So if you want to party, party and fancy a beautiful black satin pair with pleats and a corsage flower which you can attach on the heel, front or side or whatever, check out Shoes Glorious Shoes.

And, finally, a useful footnote. If you have strappy shoes that hurt or ones that feel tight when they are new rub Vaseline on the offending part to soften it. “It works,” says Joanna, “and I should know with my bunions.”