A new pop up shop programme has been introduced in Croydon.

The programme is part of Croydon Council’s High Streets Improvements Retail Support Package with the aim to begin pop up tenancies in September 2013 and run them through until March 2015.

A pop up shop has already been launched in Church Street at the former Army Surplus Shop.

Flexible tenancy periods will be on offer and Croydon Council will maintain a display area in the Pop up Shop for public consultation and engagement events.

The Council want to hear from start up businesses, social enterprise, designers and entrepreneurs who are interested in taking up a short term tenancy at the Croydon Council Pop up Shop.

A statement from the Croydon Portas Town Team said: “We are happy to announce that we are launching the pop up shops initiative in partnership with Croydon Council’s retail support programme.

“We are delighted after months and months of lobbying and working with the Council that this option is now available to breathe life back into the Old Town.

“We hope that these pop up shops will give an opportunity to new businesses and start-ups to trial their business idea with a lower entry cost, then being tied into a typical 5 or 10 yr lease. “The theory being that some pop-ups will take longer term leases if their trail proves successful.

“We are still lobbying the council to launch or Business Loans Package, reviewing Parking and Business Rates in Croydon.”

Go to croydonportas.org.uk for an application form.