Pop-up shops open in historic former department store

Cheltenham BID's Fran Inman said customers are now looking for new experiences when they go shopping

Pop-up shops have opened inside a former department store which closed after 201 years.

Cavendish House, which first opened in 1823, served generations of shoppers in Cheltenham and was a fixture on the town's Promenade before it closed in April.

It's doors reopened on Tuesday with 27 local retailers temporarily using the building while its owners, Canada Life, decide on its long-term future.

CEO of Cheltenham BID, Fran Inman, said it was never great when shops stayed empty and welcomed the building being opened up to local traders.

Cavendish House closed in April after 201 years of trading

She said it was "good to trial and test things like this to see if they work".

"They're not just coming in to try on clothes," added Ms Inman.

"They want to experience what it feels like, smells like, what the atmosphere is like in a place.

"That's what's changed over the years, people don't go into a shop to get what they want to feel part of something and for the experience."

Sian Mortiss, of Bramble and Bloom Flowers, said she was happy to have a space for people to come and visit after working out of markets and online in recent times.

"We lost our beloved flower stand in Cheltenham recently, so to have that back in our main Promenade area is really good for me," she added.

Customers have a range of pop-up stalls to explore inside Cavendish House

Canada Life has leased the building to Stanbury Estates for the past two years.

Stanbury Estates' leasing operations manager Adam Billing said they were looking to boost local businesses and provide them with a platform to thrive on the High Street.

"It has come about very quickly but it's been pretty easy," he said.

"Cheltenham is traditionally a very strong trading town where there is not a lot of empty spaces. You get a lot of independents who are always interested in having space.

"The uptake we have had from local traders has been amazing."

Canada Life's bosses confirmed they were exploring options with Cheltenham Borough Council to redevelop the building.

The company has previously said it presented "an exciting opportunity to re-shape Cavendish House for the future."