Suburban Shopfront Activation

Brisbane City Council is bringing our suburbs to life by encouraging pop-up use of empty suburban shopfronts.

Suburban Shopfront Activation is a pilot program that encourages property owners with vacant premises in Brisbane suburbs to provide opportunities for temporary use by emerging businesses.

Council is also putting out a call to emerging businesses that are interested in occupying a temporary space and will maintain a register to assist property owners in finding a suitable temporary tenant.

This program is one of the ways that Council is striving to ensure Brisbane is Australia’s most small business-friendly city with more support in the suburbs.

Council is encouraging activation of empty suburban shopfronts. Sample pop-up occupancy licence clauses are available for guidance with legal requirements and help to find a suitable pop-up tenant.

If you have an emerging business, such as a start-up, social enterprise or creative enterprise and are looking for temporary premises, sign up to Council’s register of interest for pop-up spaces.

Council’s sample pop-up occupancy licence clauses provide guidance with the legal requirements to make it easier for property owners and pop-up tenants to activate empty suburban shopfronts. Independent legal advice is always recommended.

Tenants entering into pop-up agreements need to consider liability and insurance, as well as other costs that may be incurred with a tenancy.  

Property owners and emerging businesses who participated in the registration and matching process and have now entered into an occupancy agreement may be eligible to apply for a Suburban Shopfront Activation Grant.

If there is an empty shop in your local suburban shopping area that has been vacant for a long time, you can provide the address to Council through our online form. Council will contact the property owner to let them know about this pilot program.

Last updated:5 February 2020