PROJECTS

The Co-Innovation Project

This project is about providing a space for Opportunities with an aim of encouraging local entrepreneurs to start-up and develop their business ideas with a goal of being able to move into commercial premises in the town. This can be accomplished in a relatively risk free environment where all associated costs are rolled into one monthly payment and the ongoing commitment is only for one month at a time.

Our
Story

Co-Inno 1

In partnership with Dover District Council, who owned the building, we took a 3-year lease on a vacated supermarket building in Stembrook, a street just off the main thoroughfares in central Dover. This 27,000sq ft space allowed us to achieve much more than our original plan suggested. Whilst about two thirds of the space was devoted to a market, shoplet and entertainment facilities area providing an opportunity for small start-up businesses to grow and develop, the remaining large open area was utilised to host a variety of community activities including

Meeting / Conference area
Toddler and Baby Group
Home Schoolers Get together group
Party Venue
Performance area

Co-Inno 2

Towards the end of the Lease at Stembrook, we started our search for alternative premises. Nothing offering the same area was available, requirimg us to rethink and accept that we would have to revert to our core objectives.

It was also clear that any negotiation would require us to find a short-term interim solution if the project was to be continuous.

Fortunately McDonalds' came to our rescue and allowed us to use a property which was no longer used by them as a restaurant, but one for which they still held the Lease and with the support of Dover town Council and Love Dover Regeneration, the building was used as a meanwhile space.

Co-Inno 3

After a lengthy process of negotiation and lease formalities, we eventually gained access to a property in the town centre. It is larger than the Co-Inno 2 space, but still considerably smaller than that of Co-Inno 1. However its location was more suitable and had a higher passing footfall.