A business pod in Lynn’s town centre has been transformed into a living room-turned-artistic studio.

One of the two empty pop-up containers on Purfleet Street, originally installed to support small businesses and groups, has now been filled.

A desk, armchair and typewriter have been added, visible through the glass double doors.

The Margery Kempe Trust, a life-writing and storytelling charity, is responsible for the modification, which serves as the basis for its new project, ‘Slow You Down’.

The group’s project aims to repurpose the container to turn the “often-private act of the creative process into a public performance”.

The Purfleet Story Pod is supported by Norfolk County Council’s arts project fund and West Norfolk Council.

Last year, The Margery Kempe Trust lost out on the chance to take on Lynn’s historic Carnegie Library building.

It challenged Norfolk County Council’s decision-making process with a High Court case, which it lost.

James Goodman-Stephens, from The Margery Kempe Trust, said: “We saw the pop-up containers standing empty on Purfleet Street and thought there was an opportunity to do something creative with them.

“They are right in the centre of town, and so many people walk by them every day.

“We decided to create a cultural installation called the Purfleet Story Pod.

“It is a ‘living shop window’ for creativity. For local artists, this is an opportunity to work in a space that we have tailor-made to be conducive to creativity, while simultaneously showcasing their work to the town.”

The project’s title, Slow You Down, is a nod to the Norfolk dialect.

“We wanted to use this local phrase to promote mental well-being,” James added.

“Around this time of year, people are busy preparing for Christmas, and that often involves a lot of shopping and running around. We wanted to remind everyone to slow down and take time to do the creative activities that make them happy.”

Since they were installed in October last year, the pods have proved tricky to fill.

Antonia Hayes, who is also a founding member of The Margery Kempe Trust, is the author of Relativity and A Universe of One’s Own.

She will be using the space to finalise her memoir, hoping that the installation’s public-facing nature will “help provide the discipline needed for the final hurdle”.

“Writing a memoir requires deep introspection, but the visible accountability of this fishbowl environment is exactly what I need to stay anchored to the desk,” she said.

“I will be embracing the ‘Slow You Down’ ethos to focus on these final chapters, with the goal of having the manuscript ready for my agent by early next year.”

The pod will host a rotating lineup of residents who write, knit, paint and more.

Leading the programme is poet-in-residence Savannah Andrews, who is a multidisciplinary artist working with poetry, painting, and digital art.

“I’m excited to do something that encourages people to slow down and be creative,” they said.

“The sound of the typewriter is meditative, and we hope the public will come and meditate with us.”

Passers-by are invited to stop and watch the artists at work, or engage with them at designated times.

If you are interested in participating, contact The Margery Kempe Trust at hello@tmkt.org.uk