We have teamed up with social enterprise Makespace to launch a £1.9m revitalisation of vacant shops across Oxfordshire and bounce back from Covid-19 during 2021.
The project – called ‘Meanwhile in Oxfordshire…’ – will see vacant retail units in high streets across the county transformed into independent shops, cultural venues, creative studios and co-working space.
The aim is to provide affordable premises to accommodate more than 100 organisations, which will create or secure at least 300 jobs across Oxfordshire.
‘Meanwhile in Oxfordshire…’ will reduce the number of vacant units in the county’s high streets and enable entrepreneurs to fill them with new and innovative enterprises and organisations’. This will diversify the offer in Oxfordshire’s town and city centres, and give people more reasons to visit.
We’ve developed the project in partnership with Oxfordshire’s district councils and worked with the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) to make it happen, with OxLEP securing the £1.9m of funding from the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The City Council has now commissioned Makespace to run the project.
Makespace Oxford has formed a consortium with other local organisations to help run the ‘Meanwhile in Oxfordshire…’ project, and provide additional expertise and knowledge across the county.
This partnership includes Wild Property, Transition by Design, Soha Housing, Fusion Arts, Aspire Oxfordshire and Independent Oxford, alongside national experts in this field, Meanwhile Space CIC.
These organisations will identify, secure, fit out and let dozens of vacant units, including in each of Oxfordshire’s districts, during 2021.
Contact the team and get involved
Makespace and the project team are keen to speak to landlords of vacant high street retail units across Oxfordshire’s town and city centres and possible occupiers. Landlords and occupiers can get in touch with Makespace by visiting the Makespace Oxford website or use the links below: