Coffee, cake – and some unique and beautiful gifts that would make great presents.
That’s the very tempting combination put together by Pop Up Pirates, a temporary cake shop and craft market opening in Micklegate on Saturday.
It is the second Space Invaders project – a scheme by Social Vision to turn empty buildings into temporary creative and business hubs.
The first one was The Malthouse, which turned an empty building on The Crescent into a vibrant social centre.
Pop Up Pirates will trade from the former Minster Van Hire premises on Micklegate.
It’s being run by Anni & Ervins Maslakova, owners of Nelson Bakery.
They have teamed up with Matthew Chalk and Yvonne, the duo behind the monthly arts and crafts fair at St Sampson’s Church.
A community space
The pop-up opens this weekend and could potentially run daily until January.
The premises have been made available by developers North Star, which plans to turn them into a hotel next year.
As well as selling coffee and cakes, the space will provide stalls for local artisans, creatives and traders.
Matthew said: “As a local crafter, it’s been very difficult this year to find places to trade due to event cancellations and like so many others, we were left feeling very uncertain about the future of our business.
“Thanks to Social Vision and North Star, we’ve been able to create a community space for local artists, crafters and traders to safely showcase their work to the public.”
If you’re a local creative who would like a stall, please contact [email protected] for prices and availability. A limited number of free spaces will be available at each fair to support ‘first-time’ exhibitors.
Creativity can thrive
Ervins said: “As a small business we have been looking for affordable space to rent for over a year now and it’s incredibly hard to find cost effective property in York.
“Small independent business owners have to face the reality of extremely high rent and rates but at the same time empty premises over the York area are growing in numbers.
“We are incredibly grateful that we have this opportunity to trade at one of these properties and bring a new life into this building for the next few months.”
Social Vision’s Joe Gardham, who dreamed up the Space Invaders concept, said it was a great opportunity.
“York, and in particular Micklegate, is famed for its creatives and artisans, but access to affordable properties is an ongoing issue for the sector – stifling innovation and culture across the city.
“This project will create much needed space, albeit on a temporary basis, for us to enjoy the delights of the local creative sector.”