Category Archives: Festivals

The Big Show (Y Sioe Fawr)

Posted on August 17, 2017 by

A few weeks ago I attended the Royal Welsh Show (Y Sioe Fawr) at Llanelwedd/Builth Wells.  For a number of years I have been to the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston and have always thought it to be a large … Continue reading →

Posted in Farmers Markets, Festivals, Food and Beverage, Food Quality, Food Retailing, Markets, Producers, Rates, Retail Economy, Retailers, Rural, Sustainability, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gardens and Gin

Posted on July 4, 2016 by

I sometimes wonder what visitors make of Scotland. When I first moved up we did a lot of the tourist things, as people and family visited, but as life goes on it is all too easy to look to further … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Architecture, Buildings, Community, Distillery, Edinburgh, Festivals, Gardens, Gin, Historic Shops, Royal Mile, Scotland Food and Drink, Spaces, Urban History | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 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

Lampeter Food Festival

Posted on August 5, 2015 by

As I noted in my last post, I was based down in Wales for personal reasons for much of July. It did however allow me to return to Lampeter, the small West Walian town where I spent almost four years … Continue reading →

Posted in Festivals, Food, Food Retailing, High Streets, organic, Retail Economy, Rural, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Conversation: Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Silver Linings

Posted on December 3, 2014 by

The University of Stirling is a supporter of The Conversation, and I recently had a commentary published there. I reblog it here. ’Tis the season to spend, spend, spend … or so retailers would have us think By Leigh Sparks, … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Friday, Christmas, Consumer Change, Cyber Monday, Festivals, Internet, Internet shopping, Localisation, Online Retailing, Sales | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Singapore Times

Posted on September 1, 2014 by

As regular readers of this blog already know, the Institute for Retail Studies at the University of Stirling has had programmes and partners in Singapore for a long time, targeted both at Singaporean students and retailers and those in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alumni, Courts Asia, Festivals, Government, International Retailing, Markets, Qualifications, Retail Degrees, Shopping Centres, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Business Improvement Districts: Gatherings and Huddles

Posted on February 25, 2014 by

As I have written before, in reading this post you have to remember that I am a Board Member of BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) Scotland and thus believe they have a role to play in Scotland and in Scotland’s town … Continue reading →

Posted in BIDS, Entrepreneurship, Festivals, Food Retailing, Food Tourism, Heritage, Innovation, Markets, Places, Scotland Food and Drink, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Whose Town is it Anyway?” Reflections on Scotland’s Towns Conference

Posted on November 28, 2013 by

Take one minister (no, not of the Co-operative Methodist type), a couple of passionate key note presenters and well over 100 people mainly from across Scotland, wanting, willing and able to share their town stories and opportunities and you get … Continue reading →

Posted in BIDS, Festivals, Food, Government, High Streets, Local Retailers, Places, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shock and Awe

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

I am too young to be an ageing hippie – honest. And I certainly no longer have the hair for it. But a few nights ago we went to the Neil Young and Crazy Horse show in Glasgow. Growing up … Continue reading →

Posted in Festivals, Merchandising, Music, Retailing, Sport, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

A Market is for Life not just for Christmas

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

As has been noted in these pages, I am not a great fan of the Orange One. The idea that celebrity can save the high street is not one I ascribe to readily, and the Portas review for me missed … Continue reading →

Posted in Farmers Markets, Festivals, Independents, Localisation, Markets, Mary Portas, Places, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments