ONE of the first pop-up shops in Bury St Edmunds will open next week.

The move comes just days after a summit of business leaders and councillors on how to improve the look of the town centre.

Chris Jevons, who with his wife Tanya owns Bury Fish and Chip Shop in St Andrews Street South, will open ‘It’s Dolly Green’s Pop-up Catering’ on the former site of the Grid Grill on Tuesday.

Mr Jevons said he hoped the pop-up scheme on Abbeygate Street would enhance the street scene and help keep footfall steady.

He added: “I think it’s just better to have these units full. The lease at the premises expires at the end of August so we thought we might as well do something with it for a time.

“We’re doing food to go, all local produce of a very good quality, burgers, milkshakes, ice cream. We’ll be doing packs for families and good coffees too.”

Mr Jevons said he hoped to find a similar arrangement next year.

He added: “This also gives something back to the landlord and we can move out very quickly if they get a tenant. Landlords can be reluctant but I can’t see why you wouldn’t do this.”

Mr Jevons said the pop-up enterprise would be staffed by chip shop employees, although one extra member of staff may be taken on to help.

Mark Cordell, chief executive of the town centre business improvement group Bid4Bury said: “This arrangement has been arrived at directly between the Grid Grill directors and Chris but is a good example of how empty retail units can be utilised rather than staying empty.”

At the same time an application has been submitted to St Edmundsbury Borough Council to transform an empty shop in Angel Hill into a café and grocers.

According to documents submitted to planners, Vera Carvalho, of Castle Torrejano Limited, wants to use the ground floor as a coffee shop and the basement as a Portuguese grocery store.

The plans state that there will be no internal or external material change to the building.

Consultation on the plans continues until April 12.