How ‘community commandoes’ can help occupy PUBS in our town

The old Thorntons chocolate shop on Beeston High Road is now home to Pop-up Beeston space for the next few days at most.

I've spent the last couple of afternoons is the old Thornton's chocolate shop on Beeston High Road, which has become a 'pop-up' home of sorts for the
'We are Beeston' display panels, plus banners promoting the Blue Plaque guides and my Beeston pubs, cafes and shops map. We've also had copies of the latest Beestonian to give out. I was there this afternoon with Judy Sleeth, the Chair of Beeston and District Civic Society, and Matt Turpin, one of the founders of The Beestonian and progenitor of the 'We are Beeston' project.

An inside view of the old Thornton's chocolate shop.

The focus has been on students, especially new ones, but what I picked up on as well was the number of 'day-trippers' from places like Arnold, Bulwell, Bilborough and Sherwood, some by The Tram, others by the little L11 LocalLink bus; then there were the locals stopping to look at the 'I am Beeston' panels, (one lady exclaiming at the sight of a friend 'I know her!', then me reading out the text to her about her friend, which prompted a laugh and 'Well I never'). Such a simple exchange, but one which amply demonstrates the value of the work being done by Matt and his colleagues, who are driving the wonderful 'We are Beeston' project (there is crossover between 'I am Beeston' and 'We are Beeston').

I will in the o;d Thornton's chocolate shop again tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) and Friday. With luck the pop-up space will still be open for visitors on Saturday between c.11am and 4pm. Beeston's friendly estate agent, C. P. Walker & Son, have been supportive as ever, working with the landlord to provide the shop. 

It is in the nature of 'pop-ups' that they can disappear as quickly as they appear. Judy and Matt deserve our support for their enterprise and commitment. Between them they inspire much of what I do — hence my volunteering at short notice to help out.

What Judy and Matt need is a team of 'community commandos', who can be called upon to volunteer at short notice to look after 'pop-up Beeston' spaces is shops like Thorntons. When the displays have to go, Matt and Judy have no idea where he next 'Pop-up Beeston space' will be — hence the need for what I am calling 'PUB Commandos'! It is the kind of volunteering which suits me perfectly and there must be others like me who have routines — in my case it is doing the chores in the morning, leaving afternoons free to do what I want to do — hence my helping out this week at short notice.

'PUBS' are different to charity shops. They are local, they are topical and they are not fund-raising ventures. Attention grabbing yes, and if they get the Civic Society new members, and adverts for The Beestonian and my next map then that is a bonus.

As for advertising PUB locations, that is for those with Facebook or Twitter like skills. I only blog — which I know limits my ability to communicate with more people.

Someone may just see this blog post and pop along to the old Thornton's shop on Beeston High Road. It's a good display for such short notice and I'm confident they will get better with every PUB event.

in the meantime a big 'thank you' to Judy, Matt and C. P. Walker for what they are doing, and others, like Hairven and Simon at Pixel & Graphics, who are very supportive as well.