Pop-up shop scheme extended after success

Daryl McGreade said it had been a successful project

A scheme in Mansfield that gives new traders the chance to dip their toes in the world of retail from a pop-up shop has been extended to next March.

Since the initiative started at the town's Four Seasons Shopping Centre, more than 20 businesses have made use of the premises.

This includes Bone Idol Merch, run by Grant and Abi Cresswell, which first took up a spot at the shop in June and has now opened at a new permanent location in the town.

The scheme, run by Mansfield Forward business improvement district, is being extended using funding from the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Music and horror enthusiast Grant Cresswell is opening a permanent shop

Launched in May, the initiative invites fledgling businesses a week-long slot at the premises at a heavily discounted rate along with help afterwards to find a permanent unit to trade from.

Mr and Mrs Cresswell said they had three spells in the pop-up shop before making the decision to move their music merchandise business to a former jewellery shop in the town.

"I think the confidence grew after a few days in the pop-up the first time," he said,

"People were saying, this is amazing, we need this more in the area because a lot of people have to travel to Nottingham or Sheffield for music merchandise."

"It was a no-brainer for me. I think it [Mansfield] just needs like some revival. There's quite a lot of empty shops in the area."

Daryl McGreade, from Mansfield Forward, said: "We've had a variety of different businesses that have come in and organisations. It's been quite a successful project.

"So much so that we applied for some more of the Shared Prosperity Fund money and we've managed to extend the pop-up shops in the town centre until March 2026."

Mansfield mayor Andy Abrahams said:"It's a tremendously exciting time to be in Mansfield. We will continue to offer a wide range of business support, especially but not exclusively to start-ups."