New pop-up shop gives business owners a chance to trial retail space in Mansfield's shopping centre

Mansfield Pop Up is a new initiative designed to give growing businesses the opportunity to sell their wares in their own shop premises within an affordable, flexible contract at £250 per week, plus VAT.

The newly refurbished 123 sq metres space, located inside the Four Seasons Shopping Centre provides businesses with a venue for between one and six weeks at the fixed price, which includes rent, rates, utilities, basic furnishings, and social media promotion.

Rebekah O’Neill, Four Seasons manager, said: “This is a really exciting new opportunity for up-and-coming businesses that would like to try having their own shop in a busy location without the higher costs and commitments usually associated.

“We are now taking bookings for August, but to celebrate its opening, one business will be our first tenant completely free – for two weeks in July.”

Mansfield was recently named England’s best town to start a business, with 625 businesses launched in 2021. The survey, carried out by School of Marketing using the latest ONS data, found that for every 10 new businesses that closed in 2021 in Mansfield, more than 16 were started.

Hey You opened in Four Seasons in August last year as a three-month pop up shop selling homeware, wall art, ornaments and gifts. It has been so successful it is now moving to a larger and permanent unit in the centre, and renaming itself Hey Baby, Hey You.

Hey You was set up as an online business, establishing a strong presence over three years of trading, before owners Charlotte Otter and William Ferguson decided to trial a face-to-face relationship with clients via a pop-up shop in Four Seasons.

Mo Collier, operations manager, said, “We have had a lot of success and a lot of really positive feedback, so we now need to move into different premises – and look forward to opening on July 2.”

Any business owner wishing to enter the competition to win a fortnight free use of the unit is invited to do so via the Mansfield Pop Up Shop Facebook or Instagram page.

People must be ready to take on the shop from July 18-31 inclusive.