CHANGE is afoot once again in Yate Shopping Centre, with shops relocating and new eateries due to open.

Big Brother housemate and 2010 winner Josie Gibson was on hand in her former hometown last week (Wednesday, October 16) to officially reopen Ladies Quest Boutique.

Josie, who regularly attends events in Yate and the surrounding area to promote businesses and charities, cut the ribbon to the new shop, which has relocated from North Walk to a larger store on East Walk.

Dawn Tadghighi, who runs the shop, said: “We are relocating due to a difficult period of trading in a quiet walkway.

“We have decided to stay in Yate Shopping Centre as it is an up and coming shopping area due to all the new stores investing in Yate and we feel it's our duty to support a local shopping area.”

The longest-serving independent retailer in the shopping centre, Abraham’s Jewellers, is also moving premises. Abrahams, having first opened in Yate in 1966, is also moving from North Walk to the former Evans unit at 7 East Walk.

Anytime Fitness, a gym company with branches in Clifton, Cribbs Causeway and Bradley Stoke, has also started work transforming the former Waves nightclub. The gym and health club chain, with a worldwide total of 2,310 premises, aims to open in early January after a complete refit. Chinese restaurant chain Hotcha and Italian eatery Bottelinos are also due to open on North Walk shortly.

Shopping centre manager Andrew Lowrey said: “It’s great to see all this activity with two of the traders moving to more central locations and Anytime Fitness starting work on the former Waves nightclub.

“With Abrahams and Quest vacating premises in North Walk we are focusing on making the most of the opportunities there. When Hotcha and Bottelinos open in North Parade in the next few months, there will be a lot of attention on this area.”

He added: “Over recent weeks we’ve noticed a new air of confidence around the centre and we are now struggling to find space for shops that want to open here.

“As a result of our agent/retailer marketing day two months ago we have an impressive list of operators wanting space and are looking at how we can create suitable units.

“The shopping centre will be announcing its Christmas programme very shortly. For the first time in several years we are not going to be hindered by building works so with an improving economy, wider variety of shops and greater confidence we are hoping for a bumper season.”