Thursday’s grand opening of the new Dunelm store in Yeovil’s Quedam Shopping Centre means that the old BHS unit is now home to a bustling shop for the first time in nearly three years.

It was in July 2016 that the Ivel Square building became empty after the department store chain was plunged into administration, leading to the loss of 11,000 jobs across the country.

The arrival of Dunelm to the town comes as a welcome boost and hopes are high that the store’s opening could help to revitalise Yeovil’s shopping scene.

And with more than 1,000 days since BHS bid farewell to Yeovil , many things - both locally and further afield - have changed.

Here are 11 things that happened in the world between BHS' departure and Dunelm's grand opening.

1) Donald Trump was elected President

Donald Trump was elected US President three and a half months after BHS closed
Donald Trump was elected US President three and a half months after BHS closed

It may be hard to believe, but at the time that BHS shut its doors, Donald Trump was seen as an outsider in the race with Hillary Clinton to succeed Barack Obama as President of the United States.

Trump went on to defeat Clinton and storm to power in a stunning victory in November 2016, leading to one of the more eventful presidential reigns in recent history.

2) Prince Harry began a relationship with, got engaged to, and married Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their relationship in November 2016
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their relationship in November 2016

Now arguably the most famous couple in the country, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were still four months away from announcing that they were in a relationship at the time that BHS went under.

The royal couple are now married and last month welcomed son Archie into the world, a far cry from the times where shoppers could last splash the cash at the department store.

3) Ed Sheeran invaded the UK Singles Chart

Ed Sheeran's historic domination of the UK Singles Chart took place in early 2017
Ed Sheeran's historic domination of the UK Singles Chart took place in early 2017

When the last items in BHS were sold, the world had still never heard Shape of You, Castle on the Hill, Galway Girl or Perfect.

It was in March 2017 that Ed Sheeran’s release of Divide caused a sensation in the music industry, with songs from the album bagging 16 of the top 20 in the UK Singles Chart.

Throughout that whole time, the Ivel Square unit remained dormant.

4) Pep Guardiola took charge of his first Manchester City game

Pep Guardiola's reign as Manchester City manager got underway in August 2016
Pep Guardiola's reign as Manchester City manager got underway in August 2016

Manchester City’s remarkable form over the past two years has seen them become one of the most dominant forces in the history of English football.

Given the scale of their performances, it is hard to believe that BHS was actually closed by the time Pep Guardiola took charge of his first game at the Etihad Stadium.

That first Premier League match, a 2-1 win over Sunderland, came in August 2016.

5) Sam Allardyce was given the England job, lost it after one game, and was replaced by Gareth Southgate…

Gareth Southgate replaced Sam Allardyce as England manager in October 2016
Gareth Southgate replaced Sam Allardyce as England manager in October 2016

In the time that BHS was closed, England’s footballers went from something of a laughing stock to national heroes.

The store shut just weeks after the Three Lions’ humiliating Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland and remained closed as Sam Allardyce was given, and then promptly removed from, the England job, paving the way for Gareth Southgate to step onto the touchline.

...and England have won on penalties…

England finally ended their wait for a penalty shootout win against Colombia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
England finally ended their wait for a penalty shootout win against Colombia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Not only has Southgate taken England to the World Cup semi-finals, but his side ended a 22-year penalty jinx in unforgettable fashion against Colombia.

...TWICE!

Jordan Pickford celebrates after making the decisive penalty save to secure England third place in the UEFA Nations League at Switzerland's expense
Jordan Pickford celebrates after making the decisive penalty save to secure England third place in the UEFA Nations League at Switzerland's expense

If that was not enough, England have since won a second penalty shootout, with Jordan Pickford’s heroics against Switzerland sealing the Three Lions third place in the inaugural UEFA Nations League on Sunday.

6) Theresa May triggered Article 50, called an election, lost her majority, failed miserably at negotiating Brexit and resigned

Theresa May triggered Article 50 in March 2017
Theresa May triggered Article 50 in March 2017

The BHS store remained unused throughout almost the entirety of Theresa May’s reign as prime minister.

May had been in power for just a matter of days when BHS closed, and while she was busy trying - and failing - to get her ill-fated Brexit deal through Parliament, a new tenant had yet to move in.

That May will leave 10 Downing Street just weeks after the opening of Dunelm means that the shop’s absence from Yeovil will have encompassed almost all of one of the more turbulent periods in modern British political history.

7) Foo Fighters performed a secret gig in Somerset and then performed at Glastonbury…

News of the Foo Fighters in Frome made international headlines
News of the Foo Fighters in Frome made international headlines

Seven months after BHS bid farewell to Yeovil, Foo Fighters caused a sensation when they travelled to Frome to perform a secret concert .

The invitation-only concert took place at the Cheese & Grain and was where it was announced that the world famous band would be headlining at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival.

...where they were joined by Radiohead, Ed Sheeran and Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn, right, with Michael Eavis at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival
Jeremy Corbyn, right, with Michael Eavis at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival

That year’s festival saw them joined as headline acts by Radiohead and Ed Sheeran, but perhaps the most eye-catching appearance was that of Jeremy Corbyn , who made a visit to the Pyramid stage on the Saturday.

8) Yeovil’s roundabouts turned into traffic lights

The "throughabout" in Bunford Lane in Yeovil is part of the town's Western Corridor improvement scheme
The "throughabout" in Bunford Lane in Yeovil is part of the town's Western Corridor improvement scheme

As BHS in Yeovil bid farewell to its last customer, the town’s Western Corridor was made up of a succession of straightforward, easy to understand, and usually trouble-free roundabouts.

Fast forward three years, and the stretch of road between Lysander Road and Western Avenue that had served the town well for many years has been replaced with a sequence of traffic light-controlled junctions that have divided opinion among the locals.

It’s fair to say that Dunelm’s arrival has been received far more warmly than the new Asda roundabout.

9) Woods Wine Bar closed and was replaced by Texas Rocks

Texas Rocks opened its doors in April 2018
Texas Rocks opened its doors in April 2018

It seems like forever since Woods Wine Bar closed its doors, but it has actually been shut for less time than BHS.

Thankfully, as with the BHS building, the Woods unit has been given a new lease of life, as the Jack Daniels-themed Texas Rocks steakhouse.

10) Yeovil’s bowling alley has closed and reopened

Hollywood Bowl in Yeo Leisure Park opened in March 2018
Hollywood Bowl in Yeo Leisure Park opened in March 2018

A constant in Yeovil since the opening of the Yeo Leisure Park in 2002, the town was left without a bowling alley when MFA Bowl ceased trading in September 2017, more than a year after BHS had bid farewell.

Thankfully, the absence of ten pin bowling was only temporary, as Hollywood Bowl took over the building and the rebranded centre opened in March 2018.

11) Yeovil Town narrowly avoided relegation, narrowly avoided relegation again, and then did get relegated

Yeovil Town were relegated from the EFL after a 2-2 draw at Northampton Town in April
Yeovil Town were relegated from the EFL after a 2-2 draw at Northampton Town in April

The recent travails of Yeovil Town Football Club are more akin to that of a Shakesperean tragedy than a Cinderella story.

As BHS closed, the Glovers had just narrowly avoided relegation from League Two, and did so again in the following two seasons as they just clung onto their EFL status.

Luck ran out at Huish Park last season however, as another disappointing campaign saw Yeovil finish bottom of the fourth tier, condemning them to non-league football for the first time since 2003.

Want more news?

To subscribe to our daily newsletter, enter your email address into the box at the top of this story

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Find our Bath Facebook page here or Somerset's can be found here

Alternatively, follow us on Twitter - @BathLive and @SomersetLive