THE final stages in Yate’s flagship new retail development are nearing completion with the opening of another restaurant this week and fitting out work in one of the largest units.

1960s themed American restaurant chain Dean’s Diner opened next to the new Cineworld cinema on Monday (May 23) complete with a retro jukebox, seating booths and Hollywood inspired décor.

It serves dishes ranging from classic hamburgers and hotdogs to salads and tortilla wraps and will open seven days a week, alongside chains Nando’s, Prezzo and Frankie and Benny’s which opened late last year.

Yate Shopping Centre, whose owners Crestbridge funded the £25million Riverside leisure and retail complex opposite the centre on Link Road, also announced this week that work had begun on amalgamating two ground floor units and one first floor space into one to form a new TK Maxx store.

The single unit will total 22,000 square feet with works scheduled to be completed by late July when the unit will be handed over to the retailer for fitting out with the store opening scheduled for October.

TK Maxx, which sells a range of men's and women's clothing, shoes and accessories, will complete the retail line-up at Yate Riverside, joining Pets at Home and Next at the new leisure complex.

Centre manager Andy Lowrey said: “TK Maxx will bring a further wide selection of clothing offers to the centre, something that was identified as a key requirement by local residents when the public consultation for the scheme was undertaken about two years ago.

“It is the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle at Yate Riverside which now has the three key retailers in place. The restaurant line-up is now also complete with Dean’s Diner opening this week, joining Prezzo, Nando’s and Frankie and Benny’s, all of which support the new Cineworld cinema, to boost the town’s nighttime economy.”

He added: “This development has been a long time in the making but now Yate has its own evening leisure venue, an aspiration that has taken over 10 years to deliver. There are still a couple of holes to fill, such as the coffee pod and occupancy of an upper floor unit but these are progressing.

“Similarly, there is activity on some of the vacant units in the main centre but these things all take time and hopefully we will be able to release news about more occupiers in the very near future.”