Case study(s) #1
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The Portas reveiwThe Portas review was independent review, written in 2011 by Mary Portas to look at the causes of the decline in the high streets of the UK and how we can recover them. From this review there were 28 suggestions on how to recover the nation’s high streets. Here are some of the main suggestions. That the Government should contemplate whether business rates can better support small businesses and independent retailers. This could be done by reducing some retail taxes on these businesses.
Councils should focus on making high streets accessible, attractive and safe. This could be done by adding more public transport or extending pathways to make areas more accessible for families. Large retailers should support and mentor local businesses and independent retailers, as well as providing evidence their support of local high streets in an annual report, which could then be submitted to the local council. This will give high street shops more appeal as well as giving them better services for their customers. These are only a few of the many things the Portas review has suggested to change, so that our high streets may recover and regenerate. Fieldwork sumaryIpswich:
The environmental quality survey for the Waterfront had ratings of mainly 1’s and 2’s, in the building quality and cleanliness sections, the buildings were well-maintained and had a distinct lack of graffiti, whereas in the high street the ratings for these section mostly consisted of 3’s. However neither places had much greenery or seating areas. The clone town survey data once calculated gave us the clone town rating of 26, making the high street of Ipswich a slightly less than average clone town. (8 independent shops counted in the high street).When doing a pedestrian count we counted 36 pedestrians on the Waterfront, and 240 in the town centre. Bury St Edmunds: The environmental quality survey for both locations had ratings of mostly 1’s and 2’s in Bury St Edmunds, in the High street and the Arc. The Arc however did have a better rating of benches and green space at 1’s and 2’s than the high street with 2’sand 3’s.The clone town survey data again once calculated gave us a clone town rating of 32, making the high street of Bury St Edmunds an average clone town.(12 independently owned shops were counted in the area).When doing the pedestrian count we counted 97 pedestrians at the arc, and 117 in the high street. |
The retail market is changing dramatically, where once we had bustling high streets we now have abandoned shops and town centres. The change is mainly due to the introduction of online shopping and retail parks.
Online shopping being more convenient for the average shopper, your shopping simply turning up at your door step with the click of a button, another factor being the large variety of items in these shops, most coming from places such as china and the states. Online shopping extending to more online stores such as Amazon are opening each day, high end supermarkets such as Asda doing the same. Out of town retail parks such as Blue water are attracting a large amount of customers. This in itself is not a problem but the simple fact that they are out of town draws would be customers away from the traditional high streets, this making it more unlikely for them to return. Another problem would be the inner city shopping centres, such as Chapelfeild in Norwich, that again draw customers away from the high street, as well as compete with the smaller local businesses with their varying chain stores such John Lewis and House of Frazer. Lots of brands under one roof near to other services such as restaurants means a more convenient shopping experience; this is yet another thing for the high street to compete with. The final apparent problem would be the introduction of supermarket chains such as Tesco and Morrison’s. These once again draw people away from traditional greengrocers and therefore their home on the high street. The greater range of goods available in supermarket chains means that they are harder to compete with, putting the high street at a disadvantage. This and the fact that there are so many of them over the country as well as online making prices easier to asses than those on the high street. These changes in the retail market mean that high streets are being put at more of a disadvantage in the national retail market. RegenerationA good example of the regeneration in Bury St Edmunds, would be the area within the town known as the Ark. The Ark connects to the high street in an arch shaped manner which then redirects you back into the high street. These both complement the high street while creating a clear separation between the more individual shops on the high street, and the larger commercial companies within the Ark, consisting of 35 shops including a Debenhams.
In Ipswich they have the Waterfront, an area just outside the centre of the town consisting of bar and restaurants along the Neptune Marina. The area is however not finished due to the recession in 2008, leaving some buildings in an abandoned state. However the Waterfront does connect to the high street making it a great addition to the area. |
Conclusion
Overall I think that Bury St Edmunds has a more successful High Street than Ipswich. This is due to a number of factors, the main factor being the closer and more integrated Arc. It not drawing away from the High Street but rather heightening it, this being one of the methods of helping a High Street in the Portas Reveiw. Whereas in Ipswich the Waterfront is a considerable distance away from the High street, it not too far away or close enough to have a significant negative or positive effect. This can be seen through the Pedestrian counts, Bury St Edmunds having much more even proportions in each area compared to Ipswich. Edmunds also having a greater range of types of shops (shown through the clone town survey) than Ipswich as well, this again making the area of Bury St Edmunds superior to Ipswich, when concerning the state of their High Streets.
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Ipswich and Bury data-originally from http://geograeasy.weebly.com | |
File Size: | 41 kb |
File Type: | docx |