TILLS are ringing once more at a city milkshake bar, just two months after it was forced to close.

Shakeaway, in The Golden Cross arcade, between the Covered Market and Cornmarket Street, was shut by its parent company in February due to “testing retail times”.

But manager Amee Thomas vowed to relaunch the store independently and on Saturday the newly-renamed Shakespeare’s served its first customers. Ms Thomas, 26, from Sunningwell, set to work securing funding after the store shut on February 14. And with some help from her family, she managed to raise enough cash privately.

She said: “It is brilliant news. We had so many people along for the launch and we have been really busy ever since.

“We were all shocked when the store was closed because our branch had always been successful, despite the company struggling nationally.

“I can’t believe we now have an independent milkshake bar. It’s brilliant.”

Shakeaway, which first launched in Bournemouth in 1999, continues to trade in other towns across the UK.