The Bradley Stoke Journal

Optical retailer Specsavers today becomes the latest outlet to open for trading at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre.

The opticians group was first revealed as a new tenant in July and workers moved in to fit out the unit last month.

The new store, in mall unit 4 (to the left of the Carphone Warehouse shop), will be open from 9am – 7pm Monday – Friday, 9.30pm – 6pm on Saturdays and from 10am – 4pm on Sundays.

The company says that seven jobs have been created at the new store.

The Specsavers group, which now has over 1,400 stores worldwide, was founded in Bristol 25 years ago by Doug and Same Mary Perkins.

Dame Mary, who was born in Bristol, says:

“I’m delighted that 25 years on from our first Specsavers in Bristol we are now opening our ninth store in the city. The Bristol area has always proved a successful trading environment for us and we are incredible grateful to our loyal customers. This is a great way of giving something back by providing a more convenient service to Bradley Stoke residents, and we are also delighted to be creating new jobs in the community.”

Visitors to the new Bradley Stoke outlet will be able to browse through more than 1,200 pairs of specs on display in store. It boasts three testing rooms, the latest pre-testing equipment and a fundus camera. The nine-strong team is lead by store directors Vivek Lakhanpaul and Edward Stanleigh who together have a total of more than 22 years’ optical experience.

Mr Stanleigh has managed the Chippenham branch of Specsavers for the last four years, while Mr Lakhanpaul has worked as an optometrist at various Specsavers outlets, including the Bracknell store.

Appointments at the new store may be made on 01454 275020.

The opening of the new store coincides with Guide Dog Week, run by Specsavers’ charity partner Guide Dogs. To celebrate, the store will be paid a visit by Zara, a four-month-old black Labrador puppy and her handler, Joan Bowering, on Wednesday 7th October.

Throughout the week, staff at the store will be carrying out specs MOTs in return for a donation and all the money raised will go to Guide Dogs.

There will also be a party day held at the store on Saturday 10th October when the Specsavers Quadruped – a stilt walker on four legs – will be on hand to entertain customers and goodie bags will be given out by staff.

Related link:

• Opticians in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

The Stokes Medical Centre in Braydon Avenue, Little Stoke, has submitted a second application for its planned extension after the initial plans were rejected by South Gloucestershire Council.

The earlier application, made in January, was withdrawn after planning officials indicated that they were minded to refuse it “on design grounds and non contribution to transport measures”.

A new application was submitted on 26th March and consultation on the revised plans will run until 16th April, with a decision expected by 23rd June.

The number of flats included in the proposed new wing has been reduced from four to two, while the proposed number of cycle parking spaces at the site has been increased from 12 to 26.

A source at the practice told The Journal that it is hoped to have the new wing ready by the end of 2010, after which the expansion and refurbishment of the existing building will commence.

The catchment area of The Stokes Medical Centre includes Little Stoke, Patchway and parts of Bradley Stoke (south-west of Bradley Stoke Way) and Stoke Gifford.

The centre is one of three GP practices that NHS South Gloucestershire has said will be expanded to serve the healthcare needs of Bradley Stoke residents, after plans to create a new health centre near the new town centre in Savages Wood Road were dropped.

The other practices being expanded are Bradley Stoke Surgery (Brook Way) and Stoke Gifford Medical Centre (Ratcliffe Drive).

Work began at Brook Way Surgery a few weeks ago when portable buildings were cleared from the rear of the site, but there has been no further activity since then.

A temporary expansion of Stoke Gifford Medical Centre, consisting of three ‘portacabins’, was approved by planners in February.

A medical practice serving a large part of Bradley Stoke has submitted plans for a major expansion.

The Stokes Medical Centre in Braydon Avenue, Little Stoke, has made a planning application to South Gloucestershire Council that would see the surgery increase its floorspace by 125%.

Also featured in the plans are an opticians’ unit, a dental unit and a “diagnostic centre”.

The expansion will be achieved through extension of the existing surgery and pharmacy building plus the construction of a new two storey block sited at right angles to the existing building.

Residential accommodation is also included in the plans, with four self-contained flats on the first floor of the new block.

The catchment area of The Stokes Medical Centre includes Little Stoke, Patchway and parts of Bradley Stoke (south-west of Bradley Stoke Way) and Stoke Gifford.

The centre is one of three GP practices that NHS South Gloucestershire has said will be expanded to serve the healthcare needs of Bradley Stoke residents, after plans to create a new health centre near the new town centre in Savages Wood Road were dropped.

Bradley Stoke Surgery in Brook Way, Bradley Stoke, had two sets of applications for expansion approved last year, after the government’s Planning Inspectorate overruled South Gloucestershire Council’s view that the proposed plans represented “over-development” of the site.

Dr Simon Bradley of The Stokes Medical Centre said:

“Just 4 minutes drive or a kilometre walk from Bradley Stoke Town Centre, our plans are a much needed opportunity for local families to have access to the purpose built medical and diagnostic centre that was previously intended for the town centre but which was never built.”

More Information:

• Press Release on Expansion Plans at The Stokes Medical Centre