It’s believed that high streets across the UK are on the verge of a transformative period, with businesses working to adapt to the latest trends and ideas.
Companies often find themselves utilising their space for other purposes, from hosting various events and offering a flexible working space, to creating learning centres or even an indoor greenhouse! Meanwhile, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are often tasked with creating projects and services to utilise and transform the vacant units around town centres.
There are a number of excellent examples of this in Harrogate, from Wizu creating flexible office space for local businesses and individuals, to offering pop-up space to small businesses in vacant units in the Victoria Shopping Centre to help to show off their products and services to a wider audience.
Further afield at another BID, We Are Waterloo in London, the team have carried out a fantastic project titled ‘The Pop-Up Club’ during to enhance the local community and create a unique offering for companies.
The House of Foliage in Redcar is a great example of a ‘quirky’ store opening in a previously vacant site. The tropical plant store opened in a former pub/hotel and now hosts a variety of workshops on planting, while offering help and advice for anyone looking for support.
Meanwhile in Liverpool in 2023, a unique café appropriately named ‘Findmypasty’ opened as a pop-up in a vacant unit. The concept behind the space was to offer people the chance to investigate their family tree using touchscreens with historic records – all over a cuppa and a bite to eat!
Over in Leeds last year, a series on vintage ‘Depop’ style pop-up stores were held in Victoria Gate – organised by the ‘Powered by Depop’ group offering a chance to sellers on the platform to help them take their businesses offline and sell to local communities.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Convention Centre in Harrogate was transformed into the specialised hospital in the battle against the virus, while over in York the Park & Ride system was turned into a Covid jab hub.
As we mentioned in one of our previous blogs, the vacancy rate in Harrogate remains reasonably low at 7.8% – which is almost half the national average in the UK.
As the BID, we’re keen to keep our town’s vacancy rate as low as possible, so it’s great to see local firms shaping the future by adapting to new styles and directions.
During some of our events we often utilise vacant units in the town centre. For example, during the Harrogate Self Care Week earlier this year, we used a unit in the shopping centre as a base for classes and sessions – featuring yoga, Pilates and even a sound bath!
In Harrogate, another example of a local businesses using their space for new purpose is the Grace & Morris Architects office, which opened in Parliament Street in the last few months.
Tina Hutchinson, Marketing and Sales Manager at Grace & Morris, said: “After successfully completing numerous residential projects across North and West Yorkshire, ranging from new builds to kitchen extensions and full home remodels, Grace and Morris founders, Ed and James Park, decided it was time to establish a new office and Harrogate seemed like a great location.
“As they envisioned the experience they wanted for both clients and employees, they realised that a traditional architect’s office wouldn’t fully support their vision. Instead, they sought an inviting, dynamic space that went beyond convention, offering clients an immersive environment where creativity and interaction were central.
“This inspired their search for a prime location that would blend convenience with a unique, engaging experience. They soon recognised that a high-street retail setting could create this environment, allowing them to offer clients peace of mind with direct access to the team at every project stage, from concept to completion.
“By establishing their office on Harrogate’s historic Parliament Street, Grace and Morris took a novel step for architecture practices. Here, clients can explore aspects of their portfolio firsthand, experiencing home automation technology, VR design and carefully curated art in a setting that fosters confidence and collaboration.
“Their aim is to create a hub for architectural creativity, making a meaningful impact in the Harrogate community and setting a new standard for residential architecture offices.”
If you have any questions or feedback on the latest edition of our BID Blog, please email the team on info@harrogatebid.co.uk