South coast town recycles empty shop
The biggest empty shop in a south coast town is going to be used by the local community in the run up to Christmas.
A massive shop just off Worthing's Montague Street Precinct which was formerly an Allied Carpets showroom is to be used by fifty local groups, clubs, charities and artists in a project brought together by Worthing Lions Club, supported by national organisation the Empty Shops Network and Worthing Borough Council.
The 1200 square feet shop in Buckingham Road, Worthing will be used for six weeks as 'The UpMarket', a market selling vintage, recycled and upcycled goods to support local charities. Already booked up are groups that help people with disabilities, find new homes for unloved animals, look after people with cancer and run home for the elderly.
Meanwhile, a wide range of artists and craft-makers will have spaces to exhibit and sell their work. Another area in the shop will be dedicated to community activity, hosting a range of workshops, meetings, talks, poetry performances and more.
Finally, for two weeks of the project the warehouse behind the shop will be used for a contemporary art exhibition by the Revolutionary Arts Group, which they promise will be 'a bit of Tate Modern by the sea'.
The project has been brought together by Worthing Lions President John Sayles, who spotted the potential of the huge space owned by Worthing Borough Council.
'Our ambition is to help as many local groups as possible' he said, 'and this unit lets us carry on the good work of our popular summer seafront market in the busy Christmas shopping period'.
He has been helped by the advice of Dan Thompson, Worthing-based founder of the national Empty Shops Network.
'This will be one of the biggest empty shops initiatives in the country' says Dan, 'and it's great that it is happening in Worthing in the same week that the town hosted the first ever Empty Shops Conference.'
The UpMarket will be open Wednesday-Saturday from 11th November until Christmas.
A massive shop just off Worthing's Montague Street Precinct which was formerly an Allied Carpets showroom is to be used by fifty local groups, clubs, charities and artists in a project brought together by Worthing Lions Club, supported by national organisation the Empty Shops Network and Worthing Borough Council.
The 1200 square feet shop in Buckingham Road, Worthing will be used for six weeks as 'The UpMarket', a market selling vintage, recycled and upcycled goods to support local charities. Already booked up are groups that help people with disabilities, find new homes for unloved animals, look after people with cancer and run home for the elderly.
Meanwhile, a wide range of artists and craft-makers will have spaces to exhibit and sell their work. Another area in the shop will be dedicated to community activity, hosting a range of workshops, meetings, talks, poetry performances and more.
Finally, for two weeks of the project the warehouse behind the shop will be used for a contemporary art exhibition by the Revolutionary Arts Group, which they promise will be 'a bit of Tate Modern by the sea'.
The project has been brought together by Worthing Lions President John Sayles, who spotted the potential of the huge space owned by Worthing Borough Council.
'Our ambition is to help as many local groups as possible' he said, 'and this unit lets us carry on the good work of our popular summer seafront market in the busy Christmas shopping period'.
He has been helped by the advice of Dan Thompson, Worthing-based founder of the national Empty Shops Network.
'This will be one of the biggest empty shops initiatives in the country' says Dan, 'and it's great that it is happening in Worthing in the same week that the town hosted the first ever Empty Shops Conference.'
The UpMarket will be open Wednesday-Saturday from 11th November until Christmas.