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ABBOTSWOOD shopping centre's elusive owner has finally been found after years of searching by long-suffering traders and residents.

South Yate cllr Alan Lawrence traced down the once mystery London-based landlord, Mr Hamidi, and met up with him at Westminster last month.

The landlord was called on to urgently invest in the shopping centre and address community concerns over the centre's deteriorating image.

The neglected private land, at the front and back of the shops, is littered with broken paving stones, overgrown grass and graffiti.

South Gloucestershire Council cannot maintain the site because it is owned privately.

Cllr Lawrence told the Gazette that locating the owner was a significant step forward towards improving the centre.

Mr Hamidi, who has never visited Abbotswood, was tracked down through a refused planning application for flats at the rear of the shopping centre.

"It has been a long time in the waiting but we have finally done it," Cllr Lawrence said.

"I met up with Mr Hamidi and told him the current condition of the land at the centre, he seemed keen to do something about it.

"He said wants to come down to Abbotswood for a meeting to discuss what can be done.

"The centre is not in a good state and its roughed up condition attracts graffiti, rubbish and, before the dispersal order came in, anti-social behaviour.

"This is a little chink of light I will be following up closely."

Residents and traders formed Abbotswood Action to attempt to clean up the centre's image.

The group, set up six years ago, was partly set up to find the centre's owner.

Chairman Mary Wright welcomed the contact made with Mr Hamidi but remained cautious.

She said: "It is a step forward but nothing to get excited about yet.

"This is the same owner who has neglected the centre to it's current unwelcome and poor state.

"But now contact has been made at least we all have something to work on.

"We hope he will come down here, have a look at the site and make a commitment to us all."

11:00am Thursday 27th March 2008

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