A new gym could open soon in Patchway following the submission of a planning application to change the permitted usage of a unit in the Smith’s Complex, near Patchway Roundabout.

The application, registered with South Gloucestershire Council on 19th December, seeks to change the use of the building from ‘retail store’ (class A1) to ‘fitness studio’ (class D2).

Signage on the building declares that the ‘A&A Fitness Studio’ will be opening soon, offering zumba, spin, body pump, yoga and pilates classes.

Internally, refitting of the former DIY store has been underway for some weeks.

According to the planning application, the unit has an allocation of just two parking spaces but it is stated that an agreement has been made to allow customers of the fitness studio to use the car park of “the church opposite” (assumed to be Holy Family RC Church).

The 80 sqm facility will open 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays. It will provide work for two full-time and three part-time employees.

More: One third of Patchway’s population is obese »

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A photograph taken by the Patchway Journal’s Editor has been featured in The Mall at Cribbs Causeway’s electronic Christmas card, sent to thousands of subscribers on the shopping centre’s mailing list.

The shot, taken at the Christmas Lights Switch-On event on 10th November 2011, captures the moment when pop idol Olly Murs pressed the plunger to turn on the festive lights around The Mall’s Winter Wonderland.

Maria Crayton, Head of Marketing at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, told The Journal:

“We felt that the photograph really captured the essence of the evening and summed up the Christmas Lights Switch On with Olly Murs perfectly in one image.”

“We’ve used the photograph as part of our e-newsletter to thank the thousands of shoppers who come to visit The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and also to thank the clients that we work with. We’re sure everybody will enjoy the photograph as much as we have.”

The Patchway Journal’s photo gallery on PicasaWeb shows more photos from the lights switch-on and other events we have covered in recent months.

If you would like a Journal photographer to cover your event in or around Patchway, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

For opening times of The Mall and other local shops over the Christmas and New Year period visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

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Residents concerned about the volume of traffic using Shellmor Avenue in Stoke Lodge as a shortcut between the A38 Gloucester Road and Stoke Lane have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a scheme to close the left turn into the road from the A38 southbound.

The results of a recent public consultation on three possible schemes to address the traffic problems on the road were revealed at South Gloucestershire Council’s Southern Brooks Area Forum on Tuesday 29th November.

Option 1 of the four choices presented in the consultation, which prohibits the left turn off the A38 into Shellmor Avenue but still permits vehicles to turn left out of Shellmor Avenue onto the A38, was announced as the preferred option.

The scheme was awarded £15k of the £55k pot at the disposal of the Area Forum, with the work expected to take place in the 2012/2013 financial year.

Some of the £15k will be used to improve access into Shellmor Avenue from its junction with Stoke Lane.

Further consultation, on the necessary traffic orders, will take place before work on the project gets underway.

More: A38 (Flingers) bus stop scheme also wins funding »

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A man has been arrested for possession of illegal drugs after he attempted to run away after a car was stopped by police in Patchway.

The officers involved were working on Operation Tonic, Avon and Somerset Police’s Christmas anti-drink/drug driving campaign that was launched recently at Aztec West.

Later, at the police station, the man was found to be in possession of cannabis, and records showed he was wanted for making threats to kill and was also linked to five burglaries.

More than a hundred people are facing a licence-free New Year after being arrested for drink or drugs driving in Avon and Somerset in the run-up to Christmas.

Over the weekend traffic officers arrested 37 people, taking the total to 136 since the force’s Operation Tonic campaign began on Thursday 1st December.

The total number of vehicles stopped stands at 7,813 and the number of breath tests given is 1138.

Fourteen text messages have been received giving information about suspected drink or drug drivers.

More: Police ask the public to shop a drink/drug driver by texting »

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