A BUSINESSWOMAN is hoping dreams really do come true - for a second time - in an attempt to revive a landmark Taunton shop premises.

Trish Caller is looking into the possibility of taking on one of Taunton’s biggest shop premises and dividing it up into individual units for small businesses.

She believes the Poundworld Plus store, in North Street, would be ideal to help local businesses and boost the Taunton economy by attracting more people into town.

Poundworld, which only moved into the building last September, recently put up posters advertising its imminent closure and an ‘everything must go sale’ after the company slipped into administration.

Mrs Caller, of Genius PR and Events Ltd, said she dreamt of turning the former BHS - originally British Home Stores - into Taunton Home Stores along similar lines to In Shops, which occupied the Paul Street building currently home to Taunton Library in the 1980s.

Space would be taken by artisans selling local products, artwork, jewellery, hand-made goods - “anything, but with a strong emphasis on local,” said Mrs Caller.

She added: “It would be a bit like The Emporium in Wellington, divided up into tiny units of various sizes, each one with different individuals selling stuff you can’t get on Amazon. Hopefully most of it would be local.

“It would be an opportunity for people who run their own businesses from home who are doing OK but can’t afford to run the risk of having their own place.

“We’d form a co-operative of people sharing the space inside the building, sharing the rent and rates. We’d try to negotiate a discount on those costs.”

Mrs Caller envisages the shop becoming so popular that it brings more shoppers into town who would then visit some of the existing traders.

She is not put off by the prospect of another large firm taking on the North Street shop.

“If a popular retailer moves in, then great,” she said. “But maybe we would have it for six or 12 months while they sort out their deal.

“Taunton Homes Stores could also be a chain of little pop up shops in all the empty shops across Taunton, all using the same branding.

Somerset County Gazette:

Trish Caller.

“I dream of Taunton becoming a real thriving place where people want to live and shop.

“I don’t want my grandson growing up thinking, ‘I don’t want to be here’.”

Mrs Caller added: “I started my events business after dreaming of a lot of people walking towards a tent, so I’m hoping my dream about this building comes true as well.”