East Street is Bedminster’s high street – and like high streets everywhere, it’s changed. National chains have gone. Long-standing independents have closed. Prominent shopfronts sit empty, held by private landlords waiting for the market to turn or land-banked for future development. Around 92% of East Street freeholds are privately owned. There is currently no community ownership of commercial property on the street at all.
That’s the challenge. It’s also the opportunity. Vacant and underused space is a liability for owners and a loss for the community — and in that gap there is room to do things differently. Bedminster Works works with property owners to explore alternatives to conventional commercial leasing: social leases, meanwhile use agreements and brokered arrangements that bring spaces back into active, community-serving use while protecting the long-term position of the asset. We’re building a track record that demonstrates community-led use is not a compromise — it’s a credible, sustainable alternative.