THE sub-postmaster at Clevedon's former Post Office is returning to the Triangle to open a new clothes shop in the very same building the Post Office used to occupy.

Mike Sutton will be opening Thirteen Menswear on the Triangle in the next few weeks and is currently refitting the shop to prepare for its reopening in its new incarnation.

Thirteen will sell outlet store-type clothes, with end-of-line clothes from Marks & Spencers, Next, Topman and Debenhams as well as other stock.

Mr Sutton thinks he has spotted a gap in the market and hopes to reinvigorate the shopping experience in Clevedon, which as the Mercury reported last week has a number of empty shops blighting the town.

"I was heartened to read the article spelling out the trials facing retailers in these uncertain times as it is vital that residents realise how much the town centre shops are dependent on their patronage," he said.

Mr Sutton added that rather than the Post Office's departure from the Triangle being to the detriment of the town, in his opinion it has actually been to its benefit.

He said: "The move of the Post Office has facilitated another great improvement to the local area changing a run down convenience store to a fully-fledged modern Southern Cooperative store which has improved the rank of shops considerably."

Another empty shop in Clevedon is also in the process of being renovated and reopened. A planning notice on Ben John Sports refers to a change of use from shop to estate agents.

And on Old Church Road, there are two D&D Office Supplies. One is the empty old shop. The other, at number 17 in the former Clarks shoe shop, is the new and larger shop, spread over a larger area on two floors with a furniture showroom on the first floor.

Meanwhile, in Yatton, Laziz on the High Street remains open. Restaurant owner Ann Carter said: "I wish to assure my customers that my prior-bookings only policy remains the same and the restaurant is very much open for business at any time."