STEADY TRADING SEES SHOPPING CENTRE OUT OF 2012

Like most shopping centre operators across the country, Yate's centre experienced similar trading conditions over the Christmas period to those of 2011 - but it is far from doom and gloom!

As Andrew Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre Manager reports, there is optimism for 2013: "The Christmas rush came very late last year and was badly affected by the weather. With schools breaking up late and many days of consistent rainfall, shoppers delayed their visits to the last possible moment and this was reflected in the footfall figures for the week prior to Christmas when over 290,000 visited the centre – one of the highest totals for a single week ever!

"Whereas the footfall figure for the period as a whole was similar to 2011, several sectors such as home wear & gifts, health & beauty and fashion all reported healthy year-on-year sales increases."

The development of the new East Walk retail units will be completed in the spring and the opening of Marks & Spencer Simply Food and Costa Coffee will provide a major boost for the centre. Meanwhile the new modern public conveniences will open in West Walk at the end of February.

Andrew Lowrey: "Last year was a year of major changes for the retail sector with many traditional high street names disappearing and there will be more this year but we have to adjust to these changes to ensure the long term viability of the centre. We are in talks with several operators interested in coming to Yate and we'll have further major announcements about the centre to make later in the year."