03 Jul What even is Meanwhile Use?
What even is Meanwhile Use?
Spoiler: The hoardings might say ‘coming soon’ – but people are already watching!
At Solid Ground, we’ve learned that the best Meanwhile strategies don’t start with an event plan. They start with a question: what does this place need right now? When it’s done properly, Meanwhile Use has purpose. It’s the dress rehearsal that sets the tone for opening night – or, if you’re lucky, it’s the bit the audience loves so much, it gets written into the main show.
From Trailer to Tenancy
A few years back at New Bailey, we gave a pitch to Sam, a small independent coffee operator just starting out. She set up shop in a horse trailer outside a construction site (it’s now BT’s regional headquarters). It was simple, served great coffee and Sam’s buzzing personality made it a hit. That horse box was Spice and Grind , which is now the ground floor café at Eden at New Bailey , one of the UK’s most sustainable office buildings. What began as a pop-up became a permanent fixture – not because of design, but because of demand (and delicious coffee!)
That’s what Meanwhile Use can do. It doesn’t just test ideas. It reveals them.
Samantha Seddon, Founder of Spice & Grind (in the OG trailer)
What Should Meanwhile Use do?
Well, it does three things:
Offers something of actual value (coffee, culture, community).
Invites people to participate, not just observe.
Leaves a legacy – even if it doesn’t last.
…And what do I mean by that? Well, I once worked on a scheme in London with the slogan “Here for a good time, not a long time.” It captured something important: a sense of urgency for people to get involved while the place was changing and adapting.
In phased developments, you might only have a plot for three months or it could be three years – but rarely forever. That’s why we design meanwhile concepts with legacy in mind: something flexible enough to move, evolve and hopefully find a permanent home once the development is complete.
Carriage Shed in Chester is a great example of this thinking. Delivered as part of the first phase of the City Place development, we began activating it with community exhibitions, youth theatre and Makers Markets. People connected with it, and saw how this heritage location could become a proper urban venue. This year, we’ll host incredible live music – with performers like Craig Charles and Gok Wan – while still celebrating our community roots, like the recent unveiling of the Thomas Brassey statue with Chester Heritage Society.
ngtwrk at Carriage Shed – Hannah Barnes
Carriage Shed was always planned to be part of the permanent offer, but its purpose has adapted to what people in Chester wanted it to be. It’s proof that Meanwhile programming, done well, can build a long-term legacy.
(Make sure you visit the website to see what’s on!)
Meanwhile doesn’t always mean Temporary
The clue’s in the name, right? Except it’s not.
Meanwhile Use isn’t about what happens while we wait. It’s about what happens when we stop waiting. It can be pop-up and purposeful. Short-term and strategic. It can tell a story about what’s to come – or reveal a truth about what’s already there.
That’s exactly why we created the Untold History platform: to champion the heritage and history of places and bring them to life. It’s a way of storytelling that connects communities and visitors alike, encouraging people to look back at the past while also looking forward to what a place might become.
Untold History Interactive Installation at Courage Yard, London
Built With, Not For
This is a model that works.
Too many Meanwhile strategies are designed in isolation – disconnected from the communities they’re meant to serve. The smartest developers and local authorities we work with have shifted gears, they’re building strategies with people, not just for them. They’re co-designing with local schools, residents, youth organisations and cultural collectives. And when those groups help shape what happens now, they’re more likely to stick around for what happens next.
It’s not just better consultation – it’s long-term engagement disguised as short-term fun.
I grabbed a coffee recently with a client we worked with back in 2018 – pre-COVID! We talked about a school engagement project we delivered in East London, which led to a fantastic mural by local, internationally recognised artist Gary Stranger. My client told me, “It’s not there anymore,” and for a moment we were a little sad – but what’s there now is even better, providing much-needed amenities for the local community.
And those schoolchildren we worked with in 2018? They’re young adults now, and can still feel proud of a place they helped shape from the start.
Hallsville Quarter, Canning Town – Street Art News
Meanwhile Use is not the warm-up… It’s the opportunity to set the tone. Build trust. Change Perception. Test ideas. And maybe – just maybe – create the bit people love the most.