Yate

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Yate
Yate shown within Gloucestershire
Population	21,789
OS grid reference	ST7182
Unitary authority	South Gloucestershire
Ceremonial county	Gloucestershire
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BRISTOL
Postcode district	BS37
Dialling code	01454
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Avon
Ambulance	Great Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Northavon
List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire

Coordinates: 51°32′25″N 2°24′40″W / 51.5402, -2.410989

For the municipality in New Caledonia, see Yaté.

For the tree species, see Eucalyptus cornuta.

Yate is a town at the southwest extremity of the Cotswold Hills, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of the city of Bristol, England. At the 2001 census its population was 21,789. The much smaller town of Chipping Sodbury (population 5,066) is contiguous with Yate to the east. The majority of the development from a village into a new town was in the 1960s as an overspill/commuter town for Bristol.

The town council is Yate Town Council ^[1].

South Gloucestershire Council^[2] is the local council and is responsible for street care and refuse collection in the area.

Contents 1 Location 2 Administration 2.1 National 2.2 County 2.3 Local 3 History 3.1 Yate Rail Yard 4 Design 5 Twin towns 6 Industry 7 Shopping 8 Amenities 9 Future Plans 10 Local Sport 10.1 Football 10.2 Netball 10.3 Athletics 10.4 Hockey 11 Famous Inhabitants 12 Estates with in Yate 13 Literary References to Yate 14 Gallery 15 External links 16 References

[edit] Location

The town is surrounded by countryside while within easy reach of the city of Bristol by car, bus or train.

[edit] Administration

[edit] National

Yate is represented in the UK Parliament by the constituency of Northavon - Steve Webb MP, but this will change to Thornbury and Yate in the UK General election of 2009 or 2010.

[edit] County

Yate was in Gloucestershire until 1974 when it became part of the newly-formed county of Avon. In 1996 the Avon authority was abolished and the area became part of the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire.

[edit] Local

Yate Town Council ^[3] provides local services.

[edit] History

The first mention of Yate is the existence of a religious house about AD 770; Yate is also mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is derived from the Saxon word Giete or Gete meaning "a gateway into a forest area".

During the Saxon period and well into medieval times most of this part of south Gloucestershire was covered with forest but through the centuries the land was cleared for farming.

The town's parish church, St Mary's ^[4] was started in Norman times but was altered during the 15th century and was extensively restored in 1970. St Mary's Primary School^[5], situated outside the churchyard walls, was built on the site of a former poor house.

It was opening of the railway station in 1844, as part of Bristol and Gloucester Railway, that established Yate, with Station Road becoming the central thoroughfare. It was around this road that the cattle and produce markets were held and where businesses were established. Yate railway station was closed by the Beeching Axe of January 1965, but was reopened in May 1989; the Brunel-built engine shed is preserved nearby.

In the 1960s Yate was designated as a development area and the building boom began. The creation of a 'new town' included a large retail shopping area, sports and leisure development together with public buildings.

When a secondary school was to be constructed in the late 1970s, it was supposed to be 'Brinsham Green School' (after 'Brinsham Lane' at nearby Yate Rocks), but due to a spelling error it was called 'Brimsham Green School'.

The town further expanded in the 1990s and 2000s with the construction of housing at North Yate. The housing estate carried on with the corrupted name of 'Brimsham'. To locals the area is known as 'Brimsham Park'.

[edit] Yate Rail Yard

During World War II, a rail transfer yard was constructed for the United States Army probably as part of Operation Bolero to assist the build up of troops and stores prior to D-Day. On the site, two large storage sheds survive. At the end of World War II, the site was taken over by the Royal Navy and became known as the Sea Transport Stores Depot (the name persists locally to this day).Until recently the site was occupied by the Highways Agency but it is now derelict.
Oxford Archaeology ^[6] has been commissioned to undertake an investigation as to the military significance of this site. Also the opinions and view of Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society (BIAS) ^[7] have also been sought.

[edit] Design

The start of the growth in Yate can be plotted back to the early 1920’s with the construction of the Moorlands road estates behind Station road, and in close proximity to the Parnall aeroplane factory. In the 1950’s the development of the Ridge took place to the East. The areas between these estates were still being mined for Celestine and therefore could not be built on until the mineral had been extracted. In the 60’s the area around Stanshaws were exhausted of the mineral and the housing boom started with the major construction taking place in the south. A major part of this development was planned using the Radburn model, the basic design is to create a safe vehicle free environment at the front of houses with open green space created at the front of houses through green spaces and linking paths. Unfortunately the basic concept is flawed as it fails to take into account the boom and dependency of the motor car. This model was used up until the 80’s when the planners reverted back to more traditional street design methods with developments of the remainder of North Yate, Brimsham Park and the redevelopment of the Newmans site in the late 80’s and early 90’s. The development of North Yate and the Brismham Park areas was as a result of the land becoming available as the Celestine was exhausted.

[edit] Twin towns

• Bad Salzdetfurth, Germany

[edit] Industry

Prior to World War II, Yate had an aircraft manufacturing industry (Parnall). ^[8] During World War II, Parnalls specialized in making gun turrets. A number of people were killed in raids by the Luftwaffe on the factory in February and March of 1941 ^[9].

Yate has three natural products associated with it - limestone to the east, celestine or spar near the centre of the town, and coal to the west.

The need for limestone increased with the growth of roads while the demand for coal grew with the diminishing supply of timber. Celestine, the major strontium mineral,was first dug in the late 1880s and was initially used for the refining of sugar beet. At one time Yate’s celestine accounted for over 70 per cent of the worlds production. It colours flames red so an important use was in pyrotechnics such as fireworks, military and signal flares, and in tracer bullets. The last commercial excavation of celestine from the Yate area was during the Vietnam War. The mining company, Bristol Mineral and Land Co, closed in 1994.

[edit] Shopping

Construction of a pedestrianised shopping centre of around 100 shops began in the early to mid 1960s. .^[10]. The shopping centre was opened by Coronation Street's Elsie Tanner (Patricia Phoenix). An extension to West Walk was constructed in the early 1990s, containing Kwik Save (now McDonalds, The Entertainer and Subway), Argos and other shops.

Centre shops include Burtons (clothes retailer), Woolworths, Tesco, Boots (Chemist), Halfords Metro, Iceland (supermarket), Argos, Superdrug and The Entertainer. Eating places in the Centre are McDonalds, Burger King, Subway and Boswells.

During the 1980s and into the mid 1990s, Yate Shopping Centre hosted Yate's annual festival. On opening day a celebrity launched the festival by releasing balloons and stayed to sign autographs. Celebrities have included - Carole Lee Scott in character as Grotbags (from Rod Hull and Emu's enemy), Timmy Mallet, Keith Chegwin, Ross Kemp (EastEnders' Grant Mitchell), Ken Morley (Coronation Street's Reg Holdsworth), David Neilson (Coronation Street's Roy Cropper), Beverley Callard (Coronation Street's Liz McDonald), Bob Carolgees and Spit the Dog, and the Milky Bar Kid. The festival also brought along a number of news presenters from HTV West including Bruce Hockin, Richard Wyatt and Peter Rowell.

In December 2006 the owners of the shopping centre (Dominion Corporate Trustees) announced plans to enlarge and modernise it. In Phase 1 the main change will be an enlargement of the existing Tesco supermarket, using part of the Centre's car park. To compensate for the loss, the store will be on "stilts" with parking beneath.

Also located near the shopping centre are Lidl, Morrisons and B & Q. There are two Tesco Express stores in Yate: one on Station Road (half way between the shopping centre and Yate Railway Station) and one in Brimsham Park.

A B&Q DIY store was built in the mid to late 1980s (along with two small housing estates), on the site of the old Newmans electric motor factory (which was demolished in the mid 1980s).

[edit] Amenities

The town has a skatepark at Peghill. The Common (open space) on Westerleigh Road (variously also know as Yate Common or The German Fields)is used for dog walking, nature watching, kite flying and for circuses and fairs.

The Common has a stretch of disused dual carriageway (locally called "The Road to Nowhere") which has been used for filming in TV programmes such as Casualty, when filming on a real road is not feasible.

The town also has several large parks and areas of open space. The largest of these is Kingsgate Park which has a large adventure playground for children.

[edit] Future Plans

Yate and Chipping Sodbury has been earmarked for 5000 new homes to be built by 2026. While the location of the housing has yet to be decided, the expected areas are to the north of Yate, and towards Chipping Sodbury.

[edit] Local Sport

[edit] Football

Yate Town F.C.^[11],plays in Southern League Premier Division.
There is also a ladies football team, Yate Town Girls/Ladies FC ^[12], that plays in local leagues.
A junior team, Yate United F.C. ^[13], provides competitive youth football.

[edit] Netball

Chipping Sodbury Netball Club practices weekly at Yate Outdoor Sports Centre. They have several league teams, and train junior girls ranging from the ages of 11-16, and adults of all ages.

[edit] Athletics

Yate and District Athletic Club ^[14] are a track and field club based at the Yate Outdoor Sports Centre.

[edit] Hockey

Yate Hockey Club ^[15] run teams from adult through to junior.

[edit] Famous Inhabitants

• The author of the Harry Potter series of books, J. K. Rowling, was born in Yate, at Chipping Sodbury Hospital, and lived in early childhood at the nearby village of Winterbourne.
• Graffiti artist, Banksy^[16] originates from Yate.^[17]
• The actor Alan Medcroft lived his early life in Yate & Chipping Sodbury and still lives nearby.
• The Jungle/Breakbeat producer Joe "J." Moore lives his life in Yate.

[edit] Estates with in Yate

• Goose Green
• Abbotswood
• Rodford
• Stover
• North Yate
• Brimsham Park

[edit] Literary References to Yate

Yate was awarded the 45th worst place to live in the UK, according to the tonge-in-cheek Idler book of Crap Towns ^[18]

[edit] Gallery

St. Mary's church tower	The lych gate. Inside this gate are the two war memorials	WW2 memorial	WW1 memorial
The Parnall memorial in the churchyard	Tombs in the churchyard, seen from the church tower	St. Mary's Church of England school in Church road	A very small part of Yate. The shopping centre is top right
The fire station (red doors), the ambulance station is to its right. In the foreground is middle to high income housing	A display of spring daffodils on Rodford Way	The lake in Kingsgate Park	The White Lion pub at the shopping centre
Stanshawes Court Hotel, an 1871 Victorian mansion in Kingsgate Park

[edit] External links

• Yate & Chipping Sodbury Guide Guide to Yate & Chipping Sodbury
• Sodbury Players Local amateur dramatics group in the Yate and Chipping Sodbury area
• Yate & District Heritage Centre Official website
• Yate Railway Station Station information
• Yate Railway Station Bristol railway archive
• Yate Beat Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
• Local Focus Events and issues in Yate - Local Liberal Democrats web site
• Yate Town Supporters Club Yate Town F C Supporters Club and football forum

[edit] References

v • d • e Places in South Gloucestershire Abson • Acton Turville • Almondsbury • Alveston • Aust • Awkley • Badminton • Bagstone • Bitton • Bradley Stoke • Bridgeyate • Cadbury Heath • Catbrain • Charfield • Charlton • Chipping Sodbury • Churchend • Coalpit Heath • Codrington • Cold Ashton • Cowhill • Cromhall • Didmarton • Dodington • Downend, South Gloucestershire • Doynton • Duckhole • Dyrham • Easter Compton • Elberton • Emersons Green • Engine Common • Falfield • Filton • Frampton Cotterell • Frenchay • Hallen • Hambrook • Hanham • Harry Stoke • Hawkesbury • Hawkesbury Upton • Hill • Hillesley • Hinton • Horton • Ingst • Iron Acton • Itchington • Kingswood • Latteridge • Little Badminton • Little Sodbury • Little Stoke • Littleton-upon-Severn • Longwell Green • Mangotsfield • Marshfield • Milbury Heath • Morton • New Passage • Nibley • North Common • Northwick • Old Down • Old Sodbury • Oldbury-on-the-Hill • Oldbury Naite • Oldbury-on-Severn • Oldland Common • Olveston • Over • Patchway • Pennsylvania • Pilning • Pucklechurch • Rangeworthy • Redwick • Rockhampton • Rudgeway • Severn Beach • Shepperdine • Siston • Soundwell • Stoke Gifford • Thornbury • Tockington • Tormarton • Tortworth • Tresham • Tytherington • Upton Cheyney • Wapley • Warmley • Watley's End • Westerleigh • Whitfield • Wick • Wickwar • Winterbourne • Winterbourne Down • Yate