A bumper summer entertainment programme kicks-off at Yate Shopping Centre this week with activities ranging from ‘Bugs & Butterfly Workshops’ to steel bands and tribute acts.

All acts will be in the Central Square and will run from 11am until 3pm .

Tracy King, Yate Shopping Centre Marketing Manager: “We have assembled a wide range of entertainment acts to keep children of all ages occupied throughout the summer holidays.

“The acts start this Thursday, 27th July and run through until Tuesday, 29th August when an ABBA Tribute act brings matters to a climax. These special activities run alongside the ever-popular beach which will be open every day throughout the summer holidays in the Central Square.”

The full list of events is:

27th July – Crazy sand workshop

1st August – Jungle Jim

3rd August – Bugs & butterfly workshop

5th August – Dinosaur workshop

10th August – Beach disco & games

15th August – Steel Band

17th August – Jungle workshop

22nd August – Punch & Judy

24th August – Bee gees tribute

29th August – Abba tribute

Two local lads will be launching this week’s Christmas musical spectacular at Yate Shopping Centre on Thursday, 10th November.

Local talent, Jake Maddocks, kicks the evening off at 5pm before Ben Lea, a hairdresser at the local LA shop, takes over at 5.10pm.

The stars of the evening – Black Lace, S Club, and Atomic Kitten – complete the line-up for the evening.

The full schedule is:

5.00pm                 Jake Maddocks, Local talent

5.10pm                 Ben Lea, Local Talent is a hairdresser at LA Barber

5.30pm                 Black Lace

6.00pm                 S Club

6.30pm                 Atomic Kitten

7.00pm                 Finale song and goodnight

On Saturday, 19th November, there will be a Christmas Parade at Noon and 2pm featuring a trail of attractions for children including:

• Camel
• Ponies
• Penguin
• Reindeer
• Snow Cats
• Shining Stars
• Christmas Tree and Santa in his sleigh

The stage and parade will be in the Centre Square.

Further information on the programme and other events at the Shopping Centre is available at www.yateshoppingcentre.co.uk

For further information, please contact Dan Bramwell, Bramwell Associates (Public Affairs) Mobile: 07968 304237 or e-mail: dbramwell0724@outlook.com

Atomic Kitten, S Club 3, Kavana and Black Lace are just some of the acts that will

launch this year’s Yate Shopping Centre Christmas festivities on Thursday, 10th

November.

The ‘Now That’s What I Call Christmas’ spectacular will kick off at 5pm in West Walk

with over four hours of free music including several local acts to support the stars.

Tracy King, the Centre’s Marketing Manager: “The launch of the Christmas festivities

is always a popular evening show and this year we have a high quality line up of acts

to keep the crowds entertained.

“The full Christmas programme will be announced in due course but with acts like

these I recommend everybody makes a note in their diaries now so as not to miss

out!

“Already the usual pop-up shops are opening so Christmas will kick-off with a real

bang immediately after Bonfire Night.

“Before that we have a packed Halloween Spooktacular programme running during

half term week, 24th – 30th October with many activities to keep the children – and

some adults – amused.”

Further information on the programme and other events at the Shopping Centre is

available at www.yateshoppingcentre.co.uk

A feast of entertainment is scheduled for Yate Shopping Centre during this year’s Summer holidays.

Up to a dozen events will run during the months of July and August, each between 11.00am and 3.00pm, featuring some old favorites alongside some brand new shows.

Tracy King, the Shopping Centre’s Marketing Manager: “There is a fantastic line-up for this year’s summer holiday schedule with acts ranging from tribute bands to puppeteers and magic shows to a calypso band. The acts offer a wide variety of entertainment which will appeal to visitors of all ages.

“The program is centered around the ever popular beach in the central square which, has proved as popular as ever and draws in the crowds on a daily basis.”

The planned schedule is:

26th July Magic Show

27th July Abba Tribute Band

28th July Blues Brothers

2nd August Britain’s Got Talent Stars

4th August Punch & Judy

9th August Calypso Band

11th August Puppeteer Jungle Jim

16th August Katy Perry and Lady Gaga Tribute Acts

18th August Punch & Judy

23rd August Kids Disco

25th August Jedi Training Academy

Yate Shopping Centre’s beach will be making a return appearance from 9th May for the summer months.

Always a popular attraction, the beach will open on Monday, 9th May and stay in-situ in the Central Square until August Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August.

Shopping Centre Marketing Manager, Tracy King, says: “The beach is without doubt our most popular summer event, attracting children of all ages and putting a real summer feel into the Centre. There will be other school holiday time entertainment attractions running alongside it but whatever the weather parents can always rely on bringing their children to play in the Centre’s sand.”

With Cineworld opening on Friday, 29th April and so many new restaurants recently opened at Yate Riverside, Yate Shopping Centre is fast becoming a popular leisure destination for families.

Centre Manager, Andrew Lowrey: “It has always been our intention to make the Shopping Centre as much a leisure as a retail destination so that local residents have facilities on their doorstep. Whereas the cinema and restaurants are there all year round, the addition of the popular event attractions such as the beach adds that extra dimension for parents and children.”

Dean’s Diner, scheduled to open in the first half of May, will be joining the already established Yate Riverside eating venues Frankie & Bennys, Nando’s, Prezzo, and Bottelinos in North Parade in the main Centre.

Another popular attraction making a return after a recent short appearance is Homecrafters who will be selling their wares in units 6-8 North Walk throughout May to July.

A new fruit orchard has been planted on Yate Common as part of the plans  to build a new cinema-based leisure scheme at Yate Riverside.

The orchard, comprising a variety of 20 fruit trees – apple, pear, cherry, plum and quince – was one of the conditions associated with the Riverside development. An orchard of six trees was cleared to make way for the development and the new orchard replaces the original orchard.

Crestbridge, owners of Yate Shopping Centre and developers of the Yate Riverside scheme, consulted with Yate Town Council who, after local consultation, opted for this site.

Andrew Lowrey, Manager of Yate Shopping Centre which includes Yate Riverside, said: “The planning condition stipulated that we could plant the trees either on the Riverside site or, if not possible, anywhere in the Yate area.

“This seemed the ideal location as there is already a recently planted orchard on the site so this will complement it. In years to come, as the orchard develops it will make the Common an even more attractive area for wildlife and public use.

“Wherever possible we have tried to include local trees hence the Ashmeads Kermal, Beauty of Bath and Blenheim Orange, all of which are eating apple varieties.”

Friends of Yate Common Treasurer, Pat Cotterell: “It’s good news that we have further trees being planted on the Common as they will bring greater wildlife diversity and break-up the current openness.

“The Common is becoming ever more popular with the public as an area for walking and relaxing. Such investment can only help its long-term attractiveness and public interest. We are very grateful to both the Town Council and Crestbridge for this opportunity.”

Yate Shopping Centre’s Christmas festivities will kick-off this year on Saturday 14th November with a wide variety of entertainment to suit all the family.

Rather than the traditional star-studded launch, the Centre will be turned into an arena of activity on the Saturday, as Tracy King, the Centre’s Marketing Manager explains: “This year the Christmas trading period will see the new Yate Riverside shops and restaurants opening so we decided to opt for an activity packed launch on the Saturday enabling visitors to experience the full scope of the Centre.

“People will be encouraged to come throughout the day to experience a cornucopia of Yuletide activities ranging from live tribute acts to Santa’s workshops. Furthermore the following weekend the traditional Santa’s Grotto will open offering all visitors a free gift.

• Meet Father Christmas & The Snowman hourly from 11am
• Live tribute acts including Michael Buble, Elton John and Frank Sinatra performing on stage from 11am
• Santa’s workshops with photo frames gift bags, tree decoration and Christmas cards
• Christmas face painting
• Meet & Greet Elsa, Anna and Olaf
• Stilt walkers and balloon modelling

Christmas Lights will be switched on at 5.00pm by the great man himself Father Christmas.

The main act at Yate Shopping Centre’s 50^th anniversary celebrations will be the chart-topping local group, The Wurzels, supported by a host of tribute acts and other entertainment over the weekend of 22^nd and 23^rd August.

The full programme which will be the climax of the Centre’s summer activities has now been released and contains many old favourites:

SATURDAY 22^ND AUGUST: Music through the decades with many of the UK’s finest tribute acts

11.00am               Frank Sinatra/Buddy Holly

Noon                     Tom Jones

1.00pm                 Adam Ant/Michael Jackson

2.00pm                 Mainly Madness

3.00pm                 Robbie Williams

SUNDAY 23^RD AUGUST

11.00am               Community Music and Dance Groups

1.00pm                 Avon Fire & Rescue Wind Band

1.30pm                 Cake cutting & mural unveiling

2.00pm                 The Wurzels

In addition to the wide range of music, there will be a Party on the Beach with inflatables, bouncy castle, large slide, children’s characters and free giveaways.

Andrew Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre Manager: “This is without doubt the largest event we have ever put on in our 50 year history and will be something to remember. We are encouraging the traders to get involved and local schools will be unveiling the latest mural which has been created 50 years after the first which is now sited near the entrance to the Tesco Extra store.

“Although the anniversary is the climax of the summer events, there will be activities going on throughout the holidays and, apart from the ever-popular beach in the centre square, the first of these will be a ‘Pop-Up Craft Fair’ at the end of this month. We are ensuring there is an activity that appeals to everybody over the next six weeks or so.”

The pop-up Craft fair, organised by HomeCrafters will be sited in 6-8 North Walk on Friday, 31^st July and Saturday 1^st August. It will include a wide variety of different crafts but as organiser Kirsty Bevan said there is always room for more: “We welcome new participants as the more the merrier. Anybody interested can contact me to reserve a table or go through our website”.

The regular programme of events being held throughout the summer holidays includes:

23^rd July              Jazz Band

30^th July              Punch & Judy (on the Beach)

4^th August           Fireman Sam and Norman Price making appearances on the hour from Noon to 4pm

6^th August           Disco on the Beach

11^th August         61ft assault course

13^th August         Steel Band

20^th August         Punch & Judy (on the Beach)

27^th August         Craft Workshop

Full details on all summer activities at Yate Shopping Centre are included on the Centre’s website at www.yateshoppingcentre.co.uk

Further information on HomeCrafters is available from Kirsty Bevan, e-mail: homecraftersuk@gmail.comor website: www.homecrafters.co.uk

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.”

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.