CAERPHILLY council is backing Support Your High Street Week, this week with a ‘pop up’ shop initiative.

This comes after reports identified Wales as having the largest number of vacant properties on its high streets in the UK.

Caerphilly County Borough Council is looking to support traders in addressing this issue in Caerphilly county borough by working with landlords and buddingentrepreneurs to facilitateso-called pop-up shops on county borough high streets.

A pop-up shop is where a the quick opening of shops on a short-term lease (usually for a period of less than six months) is agreed between a landlord and a business or community project, enabling them to use a vacant property in a good location for a short period of time.

Cllr Ken James, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and sustainable development, said: “We’re obviously very keen to support local traders across Caerphilly county borough communities in any way we can, while working to reduce the number of vacant properties on our high streets.”

Caerphilly County Borough Council has compiled a retail property directory, which contains a fulllist of vacant shop units in Caerphilly, Blackwood, Bargoed, Risca and Ystrad Mynach town centres. The Retail Property Ddirectory can be found at caerphillybusiness.info

For further information or advice on setting up a ‘pop up’ shop, call the council’s town centre management team on 01443 866213 or email retail@caerphilly.gov.uk.