Meanwhile Spaces

Please refer to the RFQ Documents

Specification

The aim of this Meanwhile Spaces project is to add vibrancy to communities and increase footfall across the county - including Swansea City Centre and the district centres of Morriston, Pontarddulais, Clydach, Gorseinon, Mumbles, Uplands and Sketty - by utilising vacant commercial premises as temporary meanwhile spaces. This will provide opportunities for independent new businesses, local food and craft producers, and social enterprises to test trade before committing to permanent premises.

This project aims to extend the ‘offer’ of these places across the county, and to help with attracting increased footfall. It will also demonstrate the potential of these vacant spaces for longer term lets and help to reduce the number of empty premises.

The objective of the programme is to add value to the existing town and city centre offer as opposed to competing with businesses already in situ. This will be achieved through improved diversity of the retail offer, improved business-to-business relationships and further development of local support chains.

The project must create and animate a minimum of 7 meanwhile spaces in Swansea City Centre and the wider county by end of February 2027. The consultant will be responsible for identifying and securing the use of empty premises in these locations and facilitating all pop-up activities within those spaces.

The Economic Regeneration team can provide a list of vacant premises in each district to assist with the project.

Expectations of the contract

· Attending an (online or in person) inception meeting to agree the scope of the project with Swansea Council.

· Identifying vacant premises that could be utilised as meanwhile spaces in Swansea City Centre and the wider county, with an emphasis on Morriston, Pontarddulais, Clydach, Gorseinon, Mumbles, Uplands and Sketty.

· Liaising with landlords to secure the use of vacant premises for the project. This would include dealing with all lease/licence arrangements and any necessary liabilities insurance cover (where this would not to be covered by the end users). Any legal/ insurance or other revenue costs associated with the vacant premises should be incorporated into your bid.

· Where small scale capital works are required to ensure the empty spaces are safe, fit for purpose, Health & Safety legally compliant and lettable, the consultant will be responsible for securing relevant capital funding and undertaking the works.

· Recruiting appropriate new business startups, small businesses, local food and craft producers, in consultation with the Council, to facilitate pop up activities in the meanwhile spaces.

· Engaging with local stakeholders in the city centre and district centres, such as the City Centre Management Office, Swansea Business Improvement District, Town and Community Councils to ensure alignment with their activities.

· Working closely with the Economic Regeneration Team, Business Wales and other appropriate support services to ensure the business support needs of the startups and small businesses engaged in the project are met.

· Preparing a brief evaluation report at the end of the project to highlight outputs, impacts, lessons learned and recommendations for any future meanwhile spaces initiatives. This should consider outputs from the perspective of both participating businesses and town/city centre spaces.

· The consultant will be expected to attend monthly progress meetings (online or in person) with Swansea Council.

· The consultancy team would need to be able to respond to Welsh Language access needs on request.

The project will deliver the following outputs

· Number of vacant units filled - 7

· Number of businesses provided with trading opportunities through the meanwhile spaces - 7

The consultant will be required to submit quarterly progress reports to feed into the project reporting for the Local Growth Fund Local Economic Infrastructure Anchor. The fo