Pop-up shops to take over local station

Community businesses in Warwickshire are invited to join the increasingly popular ‘Station’s Pop-up shop’ initiative, the brainchild of Nicola Griffiths, Pop-Up Business Manager at Virgin Trains. The event will take place at Rugby station from Friday 24 October until Monday 27 October.

Since 2013, pop-up shop events along the West Coast Main Line saw Virgin Trains support 120 businesses in the communities it serves by using stations to help independent businesses to gain more visibility and interact with customers.

The likes of BBC Radio Stoke and Carlisle Border TV covered past events at length and a large amount of positive coverage in regional newspaper creating advertising opportunities for the independent businesses who took part in the experience.

Nicola Griffiths said: “I am delighted that the pop-up shop events proved so popular with customers and businesses owners. Community shops don’t always get the exposure they need to thrive and become successful. So for them to be able to use our stations to show customers what they have to offer is a great way to get their name out there. I am very proud to be able to give something back to the communities we serve and of which we are an integral part.”

Pauline Meredith, owner of Meredith Crafts based in Crewe, makes and sells her own creation of beaded jewellery in gold and silver. She took part in the Crewe Station Pop-Up shop event earlier this year; she said: “Virgin Trains pop-up shops were a fantastic way to spread the word, promote my business and make sales on the day.”

If you own an independent business in the Rugby area and wish to take part in the October event, please contact Nicola Griffiths at Nicola.griffiths@virgintrains.co.uk