EAST WALK RETAIL UNITS HANDOVER COMPLETED

The four new retail units in Yate Shopping Centre's East Walk have been handed over by the contractors ISG Pearce to the centre management ready for the final stage of the project.

Costa and Sports Direct will start fitting-out on Monday, 25th March and Marks & Spencer Simply Food two weeks later.

It is confirmed that Costa will open Monday, 22nd April; Sports Direct four days later and Marks & Spencer on 5th June.

Speaking at the handover, Shopping Centre Manager, Andrew Lowrey, said: "It has been a fantastic effort by the whole project team to deliver the units on time. The contractors and their many subcontractors have had their work cut out but credit to them as it all came together in the end!

"The new East Walk entrance gives a truly modern feel to the Shopping Centre which is important as it is the first view that many visitors get. It is the first major upgrade to this part of the centre since it was built over 40 years ago.

"The completion of the units is the end of the first phase of the revamp of Yate Shopping Centre which the owners promised when they bought it six years ago. There are other plans coming forward and these will be announced in the near future."

With the completion of M&S etc. I agree the draw to Yate Shopping Centre will be a good thing for locals and visitors alike and as reported, the revamp/upgrade is looking great, but why have we lost the covered glass of our centre.

The one thing and big draw that set us apart from other centres was to be able to largely shop in the dry and will the plans to be announced in the near future be an even better 'filled in' shopping centre!

Thanks for a prompt reply from dcbbramwell, however if I understand you correctly, the canopy has been removed in East Walk to improve the site 'Centre'

Why then has the glass been removed near North Walk.? or will there be building where the Farmers market was set up.

I say again, the loss of the canopy in any part of our Shopping Centre is a backward move and I am hope some form of cover will be reinstated after any revamp work has been completed.

Thanks once again to dcbbramwell for your reply.

I have to say however, your explanations are not convincing to me and I would like to give further observations on this subject.

If as you report, new operators to the Shopping Centre require more exposure to promote, how will removing the glass cover affect this? Yes, I can see having larger stores like M&S would mean that any exciting structurs would have to go, but to build higher buildings within the Centre would mean losing the flats above. Have the tenants been informed of this fact ? and how by removing the 'Pergola' at the end of North Walk affect any building work!!

Ofcourse I can see that without the covered walkways there will be less maintenance work, thereby a cost saving on labour and materiels and, whilst I am not a greet fan of the stall holders, without the cover they have had, their pitches have been restricted or lost all together, of course if they traded in shops it would be assumed they would have to pay a much higer rent. And what about a long established DIY store with goods displayed under the canopy. Have they also been informed that the glass cover may be removed ?

One futher observation, when a recent Bank was referbished in the Centre, am I not right in saying , this work was carried out without taking down the canopy, and only after the work was completed did it go!

As you can see I am cynical and believe there is more to this than we are being told and the explanations given are a 'Political' responce.I would hope more Yate shoppers would respond to this Blog and say if they agree ' Bring back our covered walkways'

I would like Andrew to respond as I have always found his replys to 'Yate People' both fair and trustworthy.