Yate Riverside cinema development progressing well

Work on the Yate Riverside cinema and retail development is going on well. From some angles you may be able to see that the first steelwork frame is now up. Yate Shopping Centre says that they expect the "topping out" to happen in July, with the retail and restaurant units opening in December and the cinema by next Easter.

For the statistically minded, the foundations involve about 2500 cubic metres of concrete - enough to fill an Olympic size swimming poole, though we wouldn't want to swim in it afterwards! - and 500 tonnes of steel.

Yate loos on the move

As part of the East Walk shops development, the existing public conveniences in Yate Shopping Centre will close on 7th October for demolition. Good quality temporary toilets will be open on West Walk from 8th October while permanent toilets are built near the Westgate Centre.

Work to start on new shops opposite Tesco

Construction will start next month on the new units on East Walk opposite Tesco at Yate.

The largest unit will be M&S Simply Food. Sports Direct's unit will be spread across two floors, and Costa Coffee is taking a smaller unit. There is also another small unit which has not yet been let.

Work is expected to be complete by March 2013.

Yet more shop closures

It's been a bad few months for retail businesses in our area. In Yate Shopping Centre Helibeds, Motor World and Woolworths have closed. Now Card Warehouse is closing down, and Chipping Sodbury hardware shop Lanes is also shutting its doors. Yate children's clothes shop Adams is in receivership but continuing to trade. Let's hope that 2009 brings better news. Update 5th January - Adams at Yate has now closed, one of 111 branches shut by the administrators. The Cirencester, Gloucester and Swindon branches have also stopped trading.

Woolworths - the final days

In Woolworths at Yate this afternoon the staff were busy dismantling the shop around the last Xmas customers - a very sad sight.

A message to all the friendly faces at Woolworths - we're sorry to see you go.