City businesses and entrepreneurs sign up to run pop-up shops in revamped Rundle Mall Shoppers in Rundle Mall. CLOSE to 40 city businesses and entrepreneurs have expressed interest in running pop-up businesses in a revamped Rundle Mall, as the City Council offers $5 million for projects to activate laneways and upstairs spaces in the mall precinct. The Rundle Mall Management Authority wants more than 50 mobile businesses to rotate through 15 pop-up spaces along the mall when its upgrade is completed late next year . The temporary trading spaces would be up to 60sq m, each with access to water, electricity and sewage services. Chief executive Ian Darbyshire was upbeat about the number of applications, of which 20 were for food businesses, five for drinks, two for ice cream vendors and two fashion sellers. Book stalls were among the other 10 retail ideas, he said. The applications were roughly split between entrepreneurs and bricks and mortar businesses in the precinct, between North Tce and Grenfell St. "It brings in new people with new exciting ideas and gives (current) retailers the chance to come out onto the street," he said. In some cases different traders will occupy the same concession spaces in the daytime and evening. Mr Darbyshire said a consultant had been hired to help applicants work up their ideas into fully fledged business proposals. The council is also calling for ideas from people wanting to tap into its $5 million Rundle Mall "innovation fund." It will use the fund to contribute to projects that activate laneways, upper levels of buildings and empty shopfronts, improve the look of the mall precinct or help boost the city's evening economy. An information forum on the fund will be held later this month. The success of the mobile traders and innovation fund will be key to the council's bid to revive the mall and entice shoppers back from the suburbs, following an advertiser.com.au survey showing one in three South Australians had not been to the mall in the past year and 72 per cent preferred to shop elsewhere . Another expression of interest process for the concession spaces will be run once the first ones are up and running at the western end of the mall in October. What do you think of the pop-up shop plan? Do you think it will help to lure customers back to Rundle Mall?