Using Empty Shops
December 16, 2009 by John · 5 Comments
Unfortunately we have several empty shops along Market Street, like the old Barrie & Co menswear store (sale details at Clive Watkin). Thresher Wine is about to close, if it hasn’t already.
There has been some discussion over recent months about making use of the shops for non-profit concerns or even just to make use of the shop fronts. Towns and villages up and down the country make use of empty shop fronts by displaying art produced by local schools and colleges in an attempt to reduce the visual impact of forlorn looking empty shops. I’ve spotted that a couple of Hoylake businesses have now got advertising posters up in some empty shop windows.
Last week I read an article that might be of interest to our local community groups relating to short term leases. There are free, short term lease agreements called Meanwhile Leases and the official website has much more information about what’s involved and what you need to consider. It seems you have to pay a peppercorn rent and cover utility bills – but Government funding has been made available to over 100 local authorities and Wirral may be included? Update: Wirral has been allocated some funds – see this page.
If you’re making plans for a non-profit concern within an empty Hoylake shop – please leave a comment or get in touch and tell me about your plans and I’ll give you a mention here on HoylakeJunction.com
Possible related posts (computer generated):
Co-incidentally, I have just been browsing through various sources of arts funding and came across this one which may be useful to local arts groups wanting financial help to use one of these vacant shops. It’s co-funded between Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Arts Council (ACE)
From the website: “Art in empty spaces, our £500,000 initiative to help artists and arts organisations turn vacant high street shops into vibrant artistic places, is now open for applications.”
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/about-us/investment-in-arts/action-recession/art-empty-spaces/
May be a good use for an empty store would be a display to help with the LIfe Boat fund. Pictures of rhe service and equipment could be called art, is not art in the eye of the beholder.
Richard
Hoylake Village Life is a community group formed in October. Our primary aim is the regeneration of Hoylake and occupation of empty shops is one of the main priorities that we are looking at.
We are currently devising a strategy and assessing project priorities. We are also making contacts with local businesses and individuals to form a network of subgroups with responsibilities for various tasks, as well as investigating numerous sources of funding and grants.
This is a very proactive groups of people with a wide range of relevant skills; marketing and branding, PR, journalism, regeneration, community arts and more. Please give us encouragement and support as we establish ourselves both in the short term as well as ensuring sustainability in the longer term.
Please email us at info@hoylakevillagelife.org.uk if you have suggestions or offers of help, funding or sponsorship.
Hi Mark
Here’s a site for one of you to have a look at: http://artistsandmakers.com/staticpages/index.php/emptyshops/
somebody mentioned it to me but I can’t vouch for it’s usefulness.
John
Thanks John
The group is rapidly establishing itself as an exciting, creative, innovative, passionate and inclusive network of talented and committed individuals who are representative of the local community, and we welcome further input from anyone with positive experience, contributions, suggestions and recommendations.
If you would like to help us to achieve our vision for Hoylake, email info@hoylake village.org.uk
Thanks
Mark