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Posted: Thu 3rd Sep 2026
Last updated: Thu 3rd Sep 2026
6 min read
At EDF Small Business, we're passionate about helping small businesses find practical ways to grow.
Through our partnership with Enterprise Nation and the wider Powering Local Businesses campaign, we've spent the past year supporting business owners with expert advice, events, grants and opportunities designed to help them build resilience and unlock growth.
One of our initiatives that received a lot of attention this year was the launch of a free pop-up shop in Brighton.
What started as an opportunity for five small businesses to test retail quickly became something much bigger.
Over two weeks, the businesses showcased their products in a prime city-centre location, welcomed hundreds of customers through the door, connected with influencers and local communities, and gained real-world insights that are difficult to replicate online.
The experience reinforced something that Enterprise Nation opened our eyes to. That sometimes, giving businesses support via education and space can be just as valuable as supporting them financially.
For many small business owners, taking on a retail space can feel like a huge leap.
There are costs to consider, operational challenges to manage and no guarantees that a new location will work.
For online businesses especially, the thought of committing to a shop can be daunting.
That's why we wanted to create an environment where businesses could test physical retail without the usual financial pressure.
The Brighton pop-up gave growing brands an opportunity to see how customers interacted with their products, understand what attracted people into the store and learn what worked in a physical shopping environment.
For some, it was their first experience selling face-to-face. For others, it was a chance to explore whether opening additional locations might become part of their future growth plans.
While generating sales is always important, one of the biggest benefits businesses reported was the direct connection with customers.
Online analytics can tell you what someone clicks on, but a physical shop can tell you why.
Participants gained valuable feedback about their products, pricing, branding and customer experience.
They could see which products shoppers picked up first, answer questions in real time and understand how customers responded to their displays and merchandising.
Erin Rose of Onyx Studio says:
"Having the structure and support in place to focus on my product, connections and sales was a game-changer.
"My sales increased, and having the space to be visible and connect with new customers was amazing."
Bisoye Adedayo of Àníké Lifestyle says:
"The pop-up gave Àníké the opportunity to step into a new city, meet a new audience and bring our fragrances to life in a physical space."
Lauren Daly of Natrie says:
"It was a lovely experience all in all. I met some wonderful founders and had some great conversations with new clients."
The pop-up also created opportunities beyond the shop floor. Businesses used the space to create social content, strengthen their local presence and build relationships with new audiences.
Being able to show customers a real-world retail presence added credibility and opened doors to conversations that might not have happened online alone.
A common challenge for growing businesses is deciding what the next step should be.
Should they invest in retail?
Expand into a new area?
Explore wholesale opportunities?
Focus on online growth?
Programmes like the Brighton pop-up help business owners make those decisions with greater confidence.
Instead of guessing whether a new location might work, they can test it. Instead of wondering how customers will respond to a product range, they can see it first-hand.
And instead of committing significant resources upfront, they can learn and adapt in a lower-risk environment.
The success of the Brighton pop-up has inspired us to do it again.
This winter, we're bringing the concept to one of London's most recognisable shopping destinations: Notting Hill.
From 30 November to 13 December 2026, three selected businesses will have the opportunity to share a retail space during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
The timing is particularly exciting. The run-up to Christmas offers businesses the chance to reach shoppers actively looking for gifts, discover new brands and support independent businesses.
Whether you're an online-first business looking to trial physical retail, an existing retailer interested in testing a new market, or a brand hoping to increase visibility during the festive season, this could be an opportunity to learn, grow and reach new customers.
Applications for the EDF Small Business and Enterprise Nation Notting Hill pop-up open on 1 September 2026 and close on 11 October 2026.
The space is completely free for successful applicants and is designed to give ambitious small businesses the opportunity to test, learn and grow in a supportive environment.
If Brighton showed us anything, it's that when small businesses are given the opportunity to step outside their comfort zone, great things can happen.
We're looking forward to seeing which businesses will take that next step in Notting Hill. Find out more and apply.
If you already own a space, don't forget to check out the EDF exclusive tariff offer.
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