ONE of the first business owners in a Wantage pop-up shop says she wants to open a shop of her own in the town.

The scheme, which sees independent businesses test their wares in an empty shop unit for a few days at a time, was launched last month.

First in were baby and children’s clothes shop Cotswold Kids and shoe shop Valentina’s Shoe Shop, both from Witney.

Valentina’s owner Helena Wohlfahrt said: “I really liked the whole initiative of people working together for one good project.

“We had a really good response and it was interesting to see what Wantage could do.

“I would like to open a shop in Wantage if we could find the right premises.”

The pop-up “Flashop” is the brainchild of Wantage Town Team co-ordinator Iain Nicholson.

He has been employed by the Vale of White Horse District Council to fill empty shops in Wantage.

The Flashop scheme is designed to give businesses a taste of trading in the town centre, with a view to taking up one of the empty shops.

Mr Nicholson said: “Getting this under way is a real boost to plans to revitalise Mill Street.”

Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Service will make a two-day stop at Flashop today and tomorrow as part of a tour of the county.