A TEMPORARY gallery has been set up in Tavistock to make use of an empty shop and increase footfall to surrounding businesses.

Laura Hopes and Jules Greaves are two artists living and working in Tavistock who go under the name of 'Contemporary Art Tavistock'.

Noticing the number of empty shops in the town, the women realised this was an ideal opportunity to create an exhibition space for contemporary artists.

'We feel that Tavistock is the perfect setting for this type of project as it as it already supports a popular arts festival and has a thriving community of artists and makers,' they said.

The idea of 'Pop –Up' or temporary galleries is a nationwide movement by artists responding to the growing number of empty shops up and down our high streets.  The benefits of these projects is to increase footfall to surrounding businesses whilst increasing the commercial potential of the property.

The exhibition, in Paddons Row, off Brook Street, opens on July 31 at 10.30am and will feature work by a range of artists including painters, printmakers, photographers, film- makers, mixed media work and ceramicists.