The Jessie May charity, a local children’s charity based in Kingswood, South Glos has opened its first ever pop-up shop in Yate Shopping Centre and took over £1,800 in the first week thanks to the generosity of local residents.

The shop, donated free of charge for two months from 1^st June to 31^st July by the Centre, is located at 33 North Walk. Andrew Lowrey, Shopping Centre Manager, said: “As a local children’s charity we wanted to provide support for this very valuable service. It is not a high profile charity but with a pop-up shop in the Centre, it will help them both raise funds and establish a local profile.”

The charity was founded in 1996 when Jessica May, aged just four and a half years old, died at home surrounded by her family and supported by a team of nurses. Her parents then established the Jessie May Charity to ensure that every child who is not expected to reach adulthood receives nursing care within the home. Since 1996 the Charity has been providing this care, free of charge, in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Head of Fundraising and Communications for the Charity, Julian Withers, said: “We had a fabulous first week and took over £1800!!  I don’t think any of us expected this and we are amazed at everyone’s generosity.

“We are so grateful to Yate Shopping Centre for donating our first pop up shop. Having a shop within the centre will not only raise vital funds but will also help us raise our profile within the community. For Jessie May to be associated with such a prestigious shopping centre is fantastic and we are looking forward to raising lots of money and awareness over the next couple of months. Because of the fantastic donation of the shop we are truly able to say that 100% of the money raised by the shop will go towards the vital work of Jessie May Nurses.”

Pets at Home is the latest tenant to sign-up for Yate Riverside, the cinema-led development in Link Road, Yate, bringing occupancy to nearly 70% with over six months remaining till it opens.

Pets at Home will be the second of three new retailers in the scheme, Next fashions having already been announced as a tenant. Pets at Home offers a complete range of pet supplies, pet food, toys and accessories along with professional care and advice services for the pets and their owners.

Shopping Centre Manager, Andy Lowrey, said: “This is another high quality name to add to the ever growing list of retailers and restaurants represented and interested in coming to Yate. The interest shown in the new Riverside development is very encouraging and we are still talking to new tenants interested in taking space in the town.

“Construction is on schedule to hand over the retail and restaurant units to tenants in September and the cinema in December for fitting out and openings in December and next Easter respectively”.

Mark Hull, Group Property Controller of Ivypark Limited, Asset Managers appointed by Crestbridge Corporate Trustees (CTC), owners of Yate Shopping Centre said: “We always knew that this development would be of great interest to retailers but we have had to ensure there is a good mix that will appeal to the general public, and we remain excited about announcing further lettings over the coming weeks in particular specific to the restaurant operators.”

The ever popular Beach will be back at Yate Shopping Centre for the duration of the summer months.

Located in the main square alongside Boswell’s Cafe, the Beach will open on Bank Holiday Monday, 28^th May and run through till the August Bank Holiday on Monday, 31^st August.

There will be a programme of great activities throughout the three months, as the Shopping Centre’s Marketing Manager, Tracy King, explains: “The Beach is always the most popular of the summer events and attracts a wide following.

“We have organised a fantastic diary of events to keep the shoppers and children entertained throughout the summer holidays. Other events will be announced over coming weeks.

“However, the highlight of the summer will, of course, be the 50^th birthday celebrations on the weekend of 22^nd and 23^rd August featuring The Wurzels and many other regional and local musical acts.”

The Management of Yate Shopping Centre is fully behind the Town Council in Yate becoming a dementia friendly town.

As a key stakeholder in the town, the Centre’s Management team are attending and taking part in all meetings being organised to support businesses and members of the public to recognise and improve awareness about Dementia within the community.

Centre Manager Andrew Lowrey: “We were first approached about the Town Council’s dementia initiative last year and have been working with them ever since. It is very important that we are able to understand the symptoms of dementia and the problems people face within their community, this has been highlighted in recent months by the Governments imitative to improve the lives of people with dementia.

“The meetings have been a total learning curve for many of us who were not familiar with dementia and this is now feeding through into how we cater for people in the Centre. Two thirds of people with dementia live in the community and can face many challenges going about their daily lives.  We are looking at many ways of improving facilities in Yate such as signage colours so that over time we can make the Centre a dementia friendly environment.”

As a commitment to the initiative all Shopping Centre staff including security, cleaning and maintenance staff have attended dementia awareness sessions. The Centre is also signed up to the Yate & South Glos Dementia Action Alliance.

Debbie Woolley, the Community Development worker in Yate, said:  “I have been in post since January 2015. Part of my role is to support organistaions and members of the public in becoming dementia aware within their community. I have worked with Andy and his staff and from the start they have shown a willingness and enthusiasm to be involved in this work. Many positive things are happening in the town centre around dementia awareness and it is the good work of businesses like Yate Shopping Centre that make this achievable”

Yate Shopping Centre – one of the first US style shopping malls in the country – is 50 years old this year and a weekend of celebrations is planned to mark the occasion.

On Saturday, 22^nd August it will be a day of ‘Music through the Decades’ starting with 1960 through to current day hits, all played by tribute bands.

On the Sunday 23^rd the headline act will be local favourites and chart toppers, The Wurzels, and they will be supported by local bands.

Tracy King, Yate Shopping Centre Marketing Manager, said: “This will be a real family occasion and the traders are being encouraged to get into the swing of things. We will be announcing the full line up of acts once they are finalised.”

Since its opening in 1965 the Centre has seen many changes but probably none as significant as those over the last few years.

In addition to the changes in East Walk and North Parade, the Centre will soon benefit from the new Yate Riverside cinema and leisure development. The West Walk has also changed significantly with the incorporation of Westgate Health Centre and next on the list is the potential enhancement of the retail element. Crestbridge, the Shopping Centre owners, are also looking at further improvements to the existing residential accommodation in the Centre.

Centre Manager, Andy Lowrey: “Crestbridge always promised that they would invest in Yate for the future and with these recent improvements they have now invested approximately £40 million since they purchased the Centre 10 years ago.

“Thus these celebrations are as much a celebration of the 50^th birthday as they are about the success of the Centre which in the average year attracts over 12 million visitors a year.

An update on works at the new cinema-led development, Yate Riverside on the town’s Link Road, has been circulated to neighbouring residences over the last week.

In addition to giving information on works progress, the newsletter which is produced by the contractors ISG, also contains valuable information on the future works programme, and the project management team with contact details.

Andrew Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre Manager: “Keeping local residents aware of what is happening on-site is an important part of the contractors’ communications process. In addition to distributing newsletters to local residences and town centre stakeholders, copies will also be placed on all the noticeboards within the Shopping Centre.

“We are very fortunate that the weather has been in our favour and work has been able to progress according to plan. Over the next few months the skeleton of the built development will start to take shape with ‘topping out’ expected to take place in mid July.”

It is anticipated the retail and restaurant units will be handed over to the end users for fitting out by mid September with opening scheduled for December and the cinema by next Easter.

The foundations comprising about 2,500 cubic metres of concrete – enough to fill an Olympic size swimming pool – are currently being laid ready for the erection of the steelwork to start later in April.

By the time the scheme is ready for ‘topping out’ over 500 tonnes of steel will have been erected.

Yate Riverside will be anchored by a Cineworld six-screen cinema supported by two leading national restaurant chains – Prezzo and US themed Deans Diner. It has already been announced that a Next fashion store will anchor the three retail units.

Andy Lowrey: “We are hoping to announce further exciting news about more operators in the very near future but it is fair to say that there is overwhelming demand for space in Yate. We will also shortly be starting work on plans to accommodate new tenants in the main shopping centre, an announcement for which can be extended in the next few weeks.”

Steve Webb, MP for Yate, will kick off construction of the new Yate Riverside leisure development on Friday, 13^th March at 9.00am when he ‘breaks the ground’.

He will be accompanied by Yate Town and South Gloucestershire Councillors along with representatives from the developers, Crestbridge, and contractors ISG. It is hoped that members of the public will also turn out to be part this major event in the town’s history.

Yate Mayor, Councillor Wully Perks said: “A cinema has been one of the town’s long held aspirations and is one of the key elements of the town plan. This will be another significant day for the town and will be a major step in the town’s growth. With so much new housing scheduled over the next few years, it is important Yate can offer residents all the facilities that are expected in a town of this size. It will also be a major boost for the local economy bringing jobs and preventing people having to drive further afield for evening entertainment”.

Crestbridge appointed Group Property Controller, Mark Hull, said: “I always promised the people of Yate we would deliver a cinema for the town. It is has been a long and often tough ride but it is great news that work is starting onsite. This project is the fruition of many years work by the Member of Parliament, local councillors, and local stakeholders. We are aware that Steve has  been campaigning for a cinema in Yate for well over 12 years and it is only right that he and the local community come together to celebrate the start of works. ”

Local Member of Parliament, Steve Webb, said: “This is indeed a historic day.   It seems many years since we first launched our ‘Cinema 4 Yate’ campaign in response to the strong views expressed by local residents and particularly young people that they wanted Yate to have its own cinema.   This major step forward is the product of joint working and partnership over many years between the shopping centre owners, local councillors and local residents.  We have persevered through many ups and downs and it is great to be present for the formal beginning of construction works.  We look forward to the completion of the project and to a new boost to the economy for the people of Yate and the surrounding area”.

The public are invited to join the celebrations which will be held in the Link Road overflow car park.

One of the country’s leading ladies and gents fashion retailers, Next, is to open a store in the new Yate Riverside leisure development.

Also confirmed as tenants are two of the country’s most popular restaurant chains, Italian chain Prezzo and American themed Deans Diner, who will be opening alongside the new Cineworld six-screen cinema.

Mark Hull, Group Property Controller of Crestbridge Corporate Trustees (CTC), owner’s of Yate Shopping Centre said: “The news that Next is opening a shop in Yate is fantastic for both the town and the scheme. It will be a catalyst to attract other retailers and is a major statement of confidence in both the town and Yate Riverside. We have always been aware that shoppers want a broader range of fashion choice at the Centre and this will answer their demands. There can be few fashion names that attract so much attention.

“The two restaurant chains are also key in the success of the whole scheme as they will fulfil an important role in creating a vibrant night time economy around the new cinema. We have several other operators close to agreeing deals for both the retail units and restaurant units but bringing the first tenants onboard is always the major challenge.”

Work on building Yate Riverside started earlier this month with the first retail units scheduled to open later this year and the cinema by Spring next year. On completion, there will be a total of eight restaurant cafes and three retail units all of which will complement the existing Yate Shopping Centre.

Andy Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre Manager, explains: “There is a real air of excitement around the Shopping Centre as the works at Yate Riverside get underway. Existing traders understand that bringing more high street names such as this into the town can only increase footfall and will lead to more activity across the Centre as a whole.”

Work to clear the site for Yate’s future cinema-led leisure development, known as Yate Riverside and to be anchored by a Cineworld six screen cinema, will start on Monday, 9^th February.

Contractors, ISG, will be establishing their contractor’s compound and start removing the trees and shrubbery in the development area, an operation that will take approximately four weeks.

Andy Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre Manager: “It has taken us several months to clear the preparatory work involved with the planning permission but people will now notice activity on the site. We will be starting a communications programme this week to ensure all the immediate neighbours, wider community and shoppers are aware of what is happening.

“We have also been working closely with South Gloucestershire Council officers and Natural England to minimise the impact on any wildlife and this process will be on-going throughout development”.

As a consequence of the works, the overflow car park off Link Road will be closed from early March until the end of September. Shopping Centre retailers will be assigned 100 special parking spaces in the main car park for their staff so as to ensure the vast majority of spaces are still available for shoppers.

Andy Lowrey: “The Centre Management has been liaising with the retailers to ensure there is total understanding about the complexities facing us during the construction programme. It really is a case of short term pain for long term gain and traders appreciate that once the development is finished there will be exciting opportunities ahead.

“However, we also ask all shoppers to think as to whether they need to use their cars, can car share or make their trip on foot or cycle, or even public transport.”

The main construction work will commence in March with the retail and restaurant units being handed over to operators at the end of September this year for fit out and opening scheduled for early December. The cinema will be completed by December and is scheduled to open by Easter 2016.