The power of popups: a practical guide for London's small businesses

If you're a small business looking for a fresh way to reach new customers, popups are becoming increasingly popular – and they might be the perfect route for you.

London is a hub for innovation in many areas, including retail. Popups are a key part of that.

They help businesses showcase what they offer in a flexible, creative way while bringing life to high streets, neighbourhoods and underused spaces citywide.

What is a popup?

A popup is a short-term retail experience.

It runs for a set period, often in a space that's temporarily empty or not used every day. It closes once the period ends, so the space can be reused again.

Popups give small businesses the chance to do things like:

• Test new ideas.

• Try out different locations.

• Meet customers face to face.

• Avoid the commitment (and cost) of a long-term lease.

Think of it as a "short-stay shop", giving potential customers a reason to stop, explore and connect with your brand and its products.

That said, it's not out of the question that popup spaces become so popular they run for longer than initially planned.

For example, take a look at Boxpark, the highly successful dining and shopping popup, which currently operates in Croydon, Wembley, Camden and near Liverpool Street station.

Why run a popup in London?

Londoners love discovering something new, and that curiosity makes the city ideal for popups.

A well-placed temporary space can quickly draw attention to brands or products, sparking customer conversations while bringing joy and creativity to a new location.

Popups work particularly well in big cities like London as:

• They give you flexibility: with lower risks and costs, and more space for creativity.

• People want experiences: online shopping is convenient, but many customers are seeking real-life interaction.

• Councils and landlords appreciate the uplift: with lively, engaging shopfronts adding appeal (and bringing footfall) to surrounding areas.

Why should my business consider a popup?

A popup can provide valuable insights and opportunities for your specific business.

You might already be thriving online and want to test whether a physical space could be part of your business' future plans. A short-term popup lets you try this without long-term financial pressure.

Popups can also help you:

• Experiment with new products.

• Build brand visibility in a specific locale.

• Create consumer buzz through the "here today, gone tomorrow" feel that temporary retail brings.

• Connect more deeply with customers.

• Test different neighbourhoods before committing to one longer term.

How do I get started?

To help you get started on your popup journey, we've broken the process down into simple steps.

Step one: find and plan your space

Perhaps you already know a location that hosts popups, or maybe you're starting from scratch.

Either way, your Business Improvement District (BID) or local council (or the those for the area you want to pop up in) is a great place to start.

They can explain:

• Whether they offer temporary retail schemes.

• How their popup spaces work.

• What's currently available.

There are also other non-council popup operators across London, like The Pop-Up Club. It provides temporary retail spaces in various locations like dedicated popup market halls, shared retail units and other underused spaces.

Once you've identified possible partners and locations, sketch out your goals:

• What do you want your popup to achieve?

• Who are you hoping to reach?

• What does this location offer that others might not?

• What could success with your popup run look like?

Finally, set a budget. Yes, popups are fun and creative and can be cost-effective – but you'll still need a clear sense of spending on rent, marketing, branding and setting up.

Step two: create your popup experience

Branding plays a big part in how memorable your popup feels.

Whether brand visuals are already well established or beginning to evolve, think about the story you want your temporary retail space to tell.

How can you make it feel inviting and distinctive while also being true to your business?

Promotion is equally important. You could:

• Share updates on your own social channels.

• Collaborate with the venue or council's social media accounts – or other businesses participating in a popup run.

• Post updates on your website.

• Share news on local Facebook or Nextdoor pages.

• Advertise in local community magazines.

• Put posters on local noticeboards.

Step three: legal and operations considerations

Check with the council (or relevant organisation) which permits, licences and insurance you'll need to operate your popup.

Find out how long you'll need to apply and make sure to do so in good time, so everything is ready before your popup run begins.

You also need to think about:

• Health and safety requirements for the space you're occupying.

• How customers will pay (most London customers expect card payments).

• Whether you'll need staff support.

• How to manage stock, queues or busy periods.

Planning these details in good time will mean your popup is much more likely to run smoothly, with thought given to potential hurdles you could encounter (and how best to address them) while your popup is operational.

Step four: measure success and use it to inform future plans

Once your popup is running, take time to measure how well it's performing.

Tracking simple indicators such as footfall, sales and customer engagement will help you understand what worked and what could be improved.

Start by asking:

• How many people visited?

• What sold well?

• Did certain days or times perform better?

• Did this location attract the right audience for you?

Customer feedback is just as important. Short conversations, quick surveys or comment cards can reveal what drew people in, what they enjoyed and what they felt was missing.

When your popup ends, bring all your insights together. Compare what happened with the goals you set at the start.

This will help you decide your next steps, whether that's:

• Repeating the popup.

• Trying a new area.

• Refining your product offer.

• Exploring something more permanent.

Using clear data from your popup runs gives you stronger confidence in whatever future direction you choose for your business, whether that's more temporary spaces, market stalls or even a long-term retail presence.

Conclusion

Popups can be a flexible, creative and lower-risk way for businesses of all sizes to explore new ideas while bringing renewed energy to highstreets across London.

With the right planning, promotion and evaluation, a popup can be a useful and powerful stepping stone towards future business growth – helping you refine your brand or product offer, reach new audiences and shape your future business journey.

Support from Grow London Local

Grow London Local also has many resources available to help your business to thrive in the capital, including support for popups:

• The I Do Handmade Hub including 20% off your membership

• Market stallholder directory listings

• Case study: From market stalls to multiple locations with Elia Greek Street Food

Grow London Local: Support for London's small businesses

No matter where you're based in London, you'll find relevant support and guidance on business planning, sales and marketing and much more, as well as opportunities to connect with like-minded business owners. Visit Grow London Local now