Pop-up businesses could soon make use of council-owned sites across the Island from Easter 2022.
Details of pilot plans of how council owned sites could be brought into temporary use by small ‘pop up’ business or commercial users are set to go before Cabinet this month.
The council is looking to market some of its underused spaces or sites for small scale commercial/business opportunities on an annual basis. This would both generate income to reinvest in council services, support the local economy and encourage new business ventures.
Jones-Evans: Would really breathe new life into our towns, villages and open spaces
Cabinet lead for Regeneration, Business Development and Tourism, Cllr Julie Jones-Evans, said,
“This scheme will showcase and support potential small business entrepreneurs we already have on the Island. It will also give small start-ups the opportunity to test the waters and see if outdoor-based business works for them.
“The long-term aim would be to increase the number of projects across the Island to support small businesses, diversify local areas and engage local communities. It could cover a range of businesses from food concessions, fitness classes to outdoor pursuits or other ideas that would fit in with the location and really breathe new life into our towns, villages and open spaces, as well as strengthening our local economy.
“We all need to work together to stay safe from Covid-19. Meeting outside is an important way of helping stop transmission. Creating added value and amenity at outdoor locations will give Islanders more opportunities to safely support local business.”
Pilot scheme
Initial plans are to “pilot” a limited range of opportunities which readily identify themselves as having potential to generate interest and income.
The council already rents, leases or licences sites which have either been traditionally used for small “pop up” concessions such as beaches and parks or where an approach has been made by a local business. In the past, this has included beach concessions, beach huts, industrial units, for example.
Considering the community’s view
This new pilot project aims to explore the council’s wider portfolio of land which has wider community value such as beaches, parks and other areas of amenity land and countryside.
The project will also let the council take on board the views of the local community in the process.
Ready for Easter 2022
Officer recommendation is to market a small number of council sites for “pop up” business ready for Easter 2022 as a pilot scheme.
If successful, the pilot will be developed into a wider project covering more sites to start in 2023. The details of the pilot sites to be offered are to be agreed by the Cabinet member for Regeneration.
You can view the full report in the Cabinet agenda here
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
Image: Kate Darmody under CC BY 2.0
