Co-Working, Community Events and Pop-Up Spaces in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Step Up Spaces helps pubs, cafés and community venues turn quiet moments into co-working sessions, pop-ups, workshops and local events that bring people together and generate new income.
What Is Step Up Spaces?
Step Up Spaces turns quiet local venues into places people actually want to use, supported by the wider Step Up BCP community.
When pubs, cafés and community spaces sit empty during quieter times, that is lost energy, lost income and lost connection. Step Up Spaces flips that around by matching unused space with people who need it.
We help venues across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole use their space for:
• Co-working for freelancers and remote workers
• Pop-ups for makers, chefs and creatives
• Kitchens for supper clubs and start-up food traders
• Rooms for workshops, meet-ups and community events
This is not about traditional room hire.
It is about activating space so it earns money, builds footfall and brings people together.
Venues win with new income.
Locals win with space to work, create and connect.
The community wins because money stays local.
That is the ripple.
How Step Up Spaces Works
Empty rooms become welcoming spaces.
Underused kitchens become creative playgrounds.
Venues become more than just places to pass through. They become places where things actually happen again.
What was once a quiet corner of the week becomes the start of something new.
Chefs bring food ideas to life with supper clubs and pop-ups.
Makers, creators and coaches host workshops, launches and meet-ups.
Locals show up to learn new skills, meet new people and support what is happening right on their doorstep.
Conversations start. Collaborations happen.
What was once “quiet time” becomes energy, momentum and something people actually look forward to.
New customers discover local venues for the first time.
Word spreads through photos, stories, word of mouth and shared experiences.
Money stays local. Confidence grows. Spaces that were struggling start to feel alive again.
One space sparks one idea. One idea sparks a ripple across the community.
No gatekeepers. No red tape. Just local people helping local places thrive.
Local spaces are closing.
People are working alone.
Skills are going unused.
Money is leaking out of BCP every day.
Step Up Spaces flips that on its head.
Turning overlooked space into opportunity.
Turning “quiet” into connection.
Skill Swap Speed Dating
(Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like)
One of the first real-world experiences launching through Step Up Spaces is Skill Swap Speed Dating.
Before the event, everyone shares:
- What they need help with
- What skills they can offer
We do the matching.
Then we bring everyone into the same space for fast, real conversations that actually go somewhere.
Designers meet café owners.
Chefs meet content creators.
Freelancers meet venues.
Ideas turn into action.
No awkward networking.
No pitching.
Just real people helping each other move forward.
This is what community-powered actually looks like.
Community Meet-Ups & Local Networking
Not everything needs to be a workshop, a pitch or an “event”.
Sometimes people just need a place to sit, breathe, work, talk and feel part of something again.
A space where you can:
- Work alongside other humans, not just your laptop
- Share ideas without pressure
- Meet collaborators in a natural way
- Feel less alone while building something that matters to you
Step Up Spaces hosts relaxed community meet-ups and open co-working sessions inside real local venues across BCP. No stages. No awkward icebreakers. Just good spaces and good people.
No name badges.
No pressure.
Just real conversations in real local places.
Come for the Wi-Fi.
Stay for the connection.
Open Table
Sometimes people don’t need a workshop or an event. They just need a place to sit and feel less alone.
Open Table is a Step Up Spaces initiative where a clearly marked table is hosted inside a local pub or café for an hour at a time.
Anyone can join. No booking. No pressure. No expectations.
Just a friendly face, an open seat, and a real conversation if you want one.
How Open Table works
- A local venue hosts an Open Table
- A Step Up volunteer commits to sitting there for at least one hour
- The table is clearly marked so people know they are welcome
- People can join for a chat, sit quietly, or just be around others
- No fixing. No forcing. Just presence
Open Table is for:
- People feeling lonely or isolated
- Remote workers who miss human contact
- New residents wanting to feel part of something
- Anyone who just needs a friendly place to sit for a while
Have a space that sits quiet at times?
Or looking for a local place to work, host, create or connect?
Step Up Spaces connects pubs, cafés and community venues across BCP with people ready to use them for:
- Co-working
- Pop-ups
- Meet-ups
- Workshops
- Skills swaps
- Community events
Open Table
If you run a venue, or you’re looking for space to use, register your interest on the form.
No pressure. No commitment. Just a conversation.