Why Should Landlords Get involved?
Street Stories helps to sell vacant shop units to new businesses through attractive artwork installations. By making the unit eye catching and engaging, you stir people’s imaginations and show them the possibilities within the space. Here are the main 6 benefits for landlords to get involved with Street Stories.
Street Stories Sells the Space
First and foremost, if you let us install art in your vacant unit, it makes the space look more desirable. An empty space gathering dust and grime isn’t inspiring to potential new renters or buyers. Eye-catching art and untold stories are inspiring. And when people are inspired, they have all sorts of new business ideas.
In certain installations, we have used perforated vinyl so that the space is still visible to prospective businesses who want to see it. So, the artwork draws them in without blocking out your unit which they may want to let or buy.
Free Advertising for Landlords
Partnering with Street Stories will cost you nothing. Landlords and property owners benefit from Street Stories, but they don’t pay for the installation. The projects are paid for entirely by the project funders such as local BIDs and city councils as part of their placemaking strategies to improve city centres and boost commerce.
The main goal is to get the property filled. It’s been said that over 50% of vacant business units in the UK don’t have any information on the outside for how to let or buy the property, or the info is outdated. Every Street Stories installation features a strong call to action and detailed text on how to take over the property. Just saying to people, “rent this space,” probably won’t work, but if you show them the creative possibilities through art, they start having ideas.
Street Stories Gives Back to the Community
Landlords, artists, printers, installers, BIDs, pedestrians, tourists, residents . . . the list of people who can benefit from Street Stories is potentially endless. If successful, the entire community can enjoy a safer, better-looking, thriving place to live.
Rejuvenates the High Street
If you’re tired of graffiti, broken windows and seeing local businesses close their doors, this is your chance to do something about these issues—at no cost to you. The theory behind Street Stories is that high streets can become beautiful places to spend time. If the high street is then a destination, all of the businesses and landlords which make it up will benefit.
Stunning, free public art brings people out, gets them moving through the city centre and keeps them engaged with the place. Telling the city’s story boosts pride of place. Why break a window when its content is already making a statement about what makes you angry? Why graffiti an empty shop when it’s already a colourful mural?
Economic Benefit
As mentioned, the aim is to let or sell your vacant unit. But in a broader sense, a stagnant economy and flagging high streets serves no one. UK residents have felt the squeeze of having a weakened economy over the last few years. The UK reportedly lost 6,000 storefronts in the last five years alone. By creating a safe trail to walk through your town centre, we promote commerce and stimulate the local economy. This gets people spending, which benefits you as a property owner, as the more your pounds are worth, the more valuable your space becomes.
Safer Footfall in the City Centre
We can all do our part to improve the places in which we live, and this is your opportunity. Each Street Stories trail is intended to guide people along a safe path through the city centre. And there’s safety in numbers. The more people are around enjoying the art, the more people are around to prevent trouble, invigorate the town and the effect snowballs into a thriving economy. At least, that’s the plan. We can’t make it a reality with the support of landlords.
If your business space has sat idle for too long, gathering dust and costing you money, get in touch! We would love to help you sell the space by telling a street story.
