PopUp Wales

PopUp Wales: making places in meanwhile spaces

The decline of high streets across Wales (and the UK), with many empty retail spaces and limited opportunities for new businesses, identified a need for a solution to revitalise town centres.

In 2021, PopUp Wales was created out of this necessity, providing low-risk, flexible meanwhile or pop-up spaces where start-ups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses could operate without the high costs associated with long-term leases. Plus, all the prohibitive red tape, legal and health and safety requirements gets dealt with by the PopUp Wales team.

This project aimed to bridge the gap between long-term tenants but still maintain property value and vibrancy in town centres.

What is a meanwhile use space?

What is a meanwhile use? Meanwhile uses occupy a vacant space on a temporary basis. Through meanwhile spaces, community groups, small businesses, and individuals can move into vacant spaces and temporarily set up shop. Maybe that’s an exhibition, maybe it’s a a community led project, or maybe it’s a small business trialling out their idea for the first time.

For PopUp Wales , it’s also important that the work we do is embedded in the roots of local communities – that in the meanwhile, we are providing a platform for the movers and shakers of Wales.

Bringing vacant buildings to Life through PopUp Wales

PopUp Wales partnered with local councils and landlords to bring vacant buildings back to life across key locations, including:

Swansea

The initial successes of PopUp Wales began in Swansea, where it helped fill empty spaces, saving landlords over £500,000 in business rates, and providing opportunities for over 50 organisations. Long term lets include Fresh Creative, Aspera Flowers Shop, Bibby’s Beans, Dementia Hwb, Greek Flavours, The Bay Clothing and HQ Urban Kitchen.

“PopUp Wales has supported me throughout my journey from street markets to this new pop-up shop. The new shop has been very successful, and there is real excitement about my clothing. PopUp Wales is a brilliant initiative, allowing us to test-trade and scale our businesses without some of the risks that most new businesses face.” Max Howell, The Bay Clothing.

Bridgend

The PopUp Wales team transformed a vacant property in Adare Street into a pop-up space where local businesses could hold events, network, test products, and connect with the community. This has helped improve footfall and public perception in the area. It also supported traders such as Peter Wood & Sons and Cariad Coffi from the indoor market who had been displaced because of raac issues in the roof.

A recent pop-up space in Porthcawl container which has seen several businesses successfully take over the space

“PopUp Wales is a transformative project for Bridgend County, offering tangible support to the heart of our local economy – our start-ups and small businesses. By providing accessible pop-up spaces, workshops, and business support, we are not just nurturing business growth, we’re building economic resilience. The success speaks volumes about the entrepreneurial spirit in Bridgend.” – Vicky Jones, Local Enterprise Co-ordinator, Bridgend County Borough Council.

Caerphilly

A space in High Street in Bargoed became a hub for co-working, training, and test trading, providing much-needed support to local businesses. Building on its success, the project expanded into Caerphilly, with five new spaces planned by 2025, including the repurposing of a former Barclays Bank location.

The impact of PopUp Wales

Economic growth

PopUp Wales has helped to revitalise town centres by reducing the number of vacant spaces, saving landlords money on business rates, and creating affordable opportunities for local entrepreneurs. Plus, it has future-proofed businesses and created dozens of jobs so far.

Supporting start-ups

This project has supported over 50 organisations and businesses and seen 90%

Community engagement

PopUp Wales has opened the door for these previously empty spaces to become places of community and change. The project has created community hubs that provide business opportunities and also enhance public engagement. In Swansea, the Cranes space has hosted City Chill events, Ukrainian Independence Day, and an Anxiety Support Wales drop-in hub. In Bridgend, Adare Street became a base for the local PCSOs to meet with the community.

Transforming high streets

At the time of writing, PopUp Wales has managed over 41 units across the country. In 2023, 1 in every 6 shops in Wales were empty. By opening up vacant spaces in towns and cities for pop-ups and meanwhile use, PopUp Wales is changing the High Street for the better. These spaces have maintained property values, provided economic growth, and improved the overall vibrancy of town centres

What’s next for PopUp Wales?

PopUp Wales continues to expand, most recently in Caerphilly and Carmarthenshire., These new spaces, including the conversion of the former Barclays Bank in Caerphilly, will offer low-risk environments for start-ups to test their ideas.

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.