A PREVIOUSLY empty store at Yate Shopping Centre has been taken over by a brand new clothing and homeware shop.

Nostalgic Treasures opened its doors to the public on Monday, April 24 and offers a wide variety of vintage clothing, furniture and decor in addition to 'upcycling workshops'.

The new business is the brainchild of 43-year-old Bella Winder, who took the leap to open her own store after years of working as a manager in shops including St Peters Hospice.

Her goal, she states, is to inject "a little bit of nostalgia" into the hearts of people in Yate,

"The idea behind Nostalgic Treasures is for people to walk in and be transported back in time," Bella explained.

"We've only been open for just over a week, but our vintage items are already proving to be extremely popular.

"I hear customers saying that our items remind them of their childhood or of a much loved relative."

The mum-of-three is hoping that her store will fill a "gap in the market" in Yate.

She said: "The rise in the popularity of vintage and retro fashion and furniture has been well documented recently through blogs and social media but there doesn’t seem to be a specialized outlet for these things in Yate, so I definitely think my business is filling a gap in the market."

Nostalgic Treasures also provides in store workshops on upcycling, the process of transforming old items into something brand new.

And according to Bella, it's "amazing what people throw away".

Bella said: "What is junk for one person can be restored into a perfect little treasure for someone else.

"It's surprising how much you can transform old, tired furniture and clothes."