Three family businesses will remain in Corsham’s High Street for years to come after their owners handed over the reins to their children.

The long-established businesses, Theodora’s Flowers, Coppins of Corsham and Viva La Pizza, have all recently seen the owners’ children take over the stores, ensuring that some well-loved shops remain trading in Corsham.

Theodora Van Heijningen, 50, has handed over the day-to-day running of Theodora’s Flowers, which has been in the town for 13 years, to her daughter Fleur, 28.

Miss Van Heijningen, who officially takes over in April 2013, said: “I’ve been part of the business for 10 years and I’m really excited and proud to be taking the business forward into the future.

“My mum has built up a good reputation locally of being quirky and different, and we hope to continue offering our customers unique products of the highest quality.

“Mum will still have some involvement with the store, like at busy times, and with particular clients, but she’s going to take a few more holidays now. My dad Samuel will still continue to do deliveries, so it’ll be nice still having them around.”

At one of Theodora’s neighbours, jewellers Coppins, daughter Daisy Coppin, 32, has taken over from her parents Ann, 64, and John, 69, who opened the store in Corsham in 1982.

Miss Coppin, who has worked at the business for 12 years, said: “It is really nice to carry on the name which has been built up and been respected over many years. I’ve gradually had more and more responsibility, as well as offering fresh input to the business.

“It is, of course, a huge responsibility but I am delighted to carry on the family business.”

Towards the end of last year, Vanessa, 58, and Antonio De Michele, 66, who have owned Viva La Pizza for seven years, handed over the running of the restaurant to their son Matthew, 26, to allow the couple to semi-retire.

Mrs De Michele said: “It’s wonderful to have built up this business and have Matthew taking over and allowing a well-known Corsham business to keep going in the town and letting us go over to Italy a bit more often too.

“I think nowadays there are far too many chain stores and it is great to see three family-run businesses carrying on in Corsham.”