WESTCOUNTRY favourites The Wurzels will headline a huge anniversary party at Yate Shopping Centre later this summer.

The cider-drinking ‘scrumpy and Western’ band will perform on Sunday, August 23, closing a weekend of free entertainment to celebrate the centre’s 50th birthday.

As well as The Wurzels, the line-up includes a host of tribute acts featuring music from the past five decades as well as local dance groups and bands.

Tribute singers will include Frank Sinatra and Buddy Holly, Tom Jones, Adam Ant, Michael Jackson, Madness and Robbie Williams on Saturday, August 22. Then on the Sunday there will be music and dance, Avon Fire and Rescue Wind Band will play and there will be a cake cutting ceremony and a commemorative mural will be unveiled before The Wurzels take to the stage.

The event will also see a party on a beach which has been located in the shopping centre all summer with inflatables, a bouncy castle, large slide and children’s characters.

Centre manager Andrew Lowrey said the two-day party was the biggest event Yate has seen.

“We are encouraging the traders to get involved and local schools will be unveiling the latest mural which has been created 50 years after the first which is now sited near the entrance to the Tesco Extra store,” he said.

“This is without doubt the largest event we have ever put on in our 50 year history and will be something to remember.

“Although the anniversary is the climax of the summer events, there will be activities going on throughout the holidays and, apart from the ever-popular beach in the centre square, the first of these will be a pop-up craft fair at the end of this month. We are ensuring there is an activity that appeals to everybody over the next six weeks or so.”

Yate Shopping Centre was opened by Patricia Phoenix, (who played Elsie Tanner in ITV's Coronation Street), athlete Mary Rand and comedian Ted Ray in 1965.

It now boasts over 100 shops and has seen numerous extensions including most recently a new Tesco Extra supermarket and stores including M&S Simply Food and Sports Direct on East Walk. A new six-screen cinema and associated shops and restaurants on the former overflow car park are currently under construction.