Category Archives: Christmas

Happy 50th to/from the University of Stirling

Posted on November 24, 2017 by

I’ve mentioned it a couple of times in this blog, but more often on Twitter – 2017/18 is the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the University of Stirling.  Whilst I have not been here since the start (honest), though … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Art, Christmas, Corporate History, Education, Heritage, History, Institute for Retail Studies, Japanese, Retail Degrees, Retail History, Retailing, Singapore, Stirling, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Retail Vacancy and Structural Change in Scotland’s Towns and Cities

Posted on December 16, 2016 by

For the last four years, mid December has seen the release of the latest edition of the Local Data Company/University of Stirling Retail report on the situation of retailing in the major towns and cities across Scotland. Last Tuesday saw … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Christmas, Convenience stores, Independents, Places, Rates, Retail Policy, Retailers, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Scottish Retailing, Services, Shop Numbers, Small Towns, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Living, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, University of Stirling, Vacancies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

BrickMeetsClick: The Lidl Social Price Drop

Posted on December 8, 2016 by

A few years ago I was invited to became a “Black Belt” on the retail and retail technology site Brick Meets Click. This involves some occasional retail debate and commentary and some interaction with various retail stories and news. I … Continue reading →

Posted in BrickMeetsClick, Christmas, Competition, Customer engagement, Food Retailing, Lidl, Pricing, Retail brands, Social media, Twitter | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fight Time? The Boxing Day Petition

Posted on December 5, 2016 by

The issue of opening hours for shops is something that has been an ever-present during my time as an academic.  The product-based absurdities of the late 1970s and early 1980s were eventually swept away as opening hours were modernised and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Black Friday, Boxing Day, Campaigns, Christmas, Consumer Lifestyle, Cyber Monday, Employees, Employment, Employment practices, Government, Internet shopping, Legislation, Online Retailing, Opening Hours, Petitions, Regulation, Small Shops, Supermarket | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Market Time

Posted on January 13, 2016 by

I suspect that my interest in markets was sparked at a young age when my father would take me to the livestock market and my mother would take me to the open-air market (Cheapside) and to the covered food market, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Experiential, Farmers Markets, Festivals, Food, Krakow, London, Markets, Places, Spaces, Streetscapes, Urban History | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Perfect Storm?

Posted on January 4, 2016 by

Are the storms getting worse now that someone has decided to give them names? Certainly by the time Frank had finished with my garden, I’d pretty much got the swimming pool I always thought that I had not wanted. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Friday, Christmas, Closure, Consumer Change, Costs, Discounters, Internet, Margins, Retail Economy, Retail Failure, Sales, Stock | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Does Distance Lend Perspective?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by

As is my need in January, I have been off enjoying some sun and reflection. Having been in the Cape Winelands for the last few weeks, I’m already missing the sun, heat, light … and of course the wine. Having … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Black Friday, Christmas, Food Retailing, Margins, Profits, Scottish Retail Consortium, Scottish Retail Sales, Tesco, Wales | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment