Category Archives: Property

Analysing and Understanding Shopping Centres

Posted on February 21, 2017 by

One of the good things about being a Professor of Retail Studies is that you get to meet interesting people with interesting ideas.  Over the last year or so I have been involved on some executive education with Bayfield Training … Continue reading →

Posted in Bayfield, Brands, Data, Department Stores, Food Court, Inter-depenendencies, Property, Relationships, Retail Quilts, Retailers, Shopping Centres | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Turning Around another Supertanker; Marks and Spencer

Posted on November 20, 2016 by

It has been a while since I have written about Tesco, Marmite excepting, and the last few times I did, I used the analogy of a supertanker and the relative slowness at which lumbering retail giants see their strategies take … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer Change, Digital, Food Retailing, Internet shopping, Marks and Spencer, Property, Retailers, Shop Numbers, Simply Food, Store Closures, Turnaround | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Wonder of Woolies – continued

Posted on January 20, 2016 by

Just before Christmas I found myself in Brixton – as one does – and in wandering the streets passed by the H&M. As you might see from my photograph below, it is housed in a fine building. My immediate reaction … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books, Buildings, High Streets, Historic Shops, Property, Public Realm, Retail History, Shopfronts, Streetscapes, Urban History, Woolworths | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Urban but not Anonymous”

Posted on November 18, 2015 by

With these words, Cord Soehlke, Mayor and Senior Planner for the University Town of Turbingen, Germany neatly summed up for me the differences and the challenges facing Scotland’s towns. As had been discussed earlier in the day at Scotland’s Towns … Continue reading →

Posted in Falkirk, Government, High Streets, Places, Planning, Property, Public Realm, Regeneration, Reinvention, Retail Planning, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Small Towns, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Places of Possibility; Spaces of Opportunity”

Posted on May 15, 2015 by

It was with the phrase “Places of Possibility; Spaces of Opportunity” that we ended Julian Dobson’s tour de force on “How to Save our Town Centres” last Wednesday. His presentation and Scottish book launch to a full Storytelling centre in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Crowdfunding, High Streets, MSPs, Places, Planning, Property, Public Realm, Retailers, Retailing, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Spaces, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centres, Towns, Understanding Scottish Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Levy, Some Rates and the Grimsey Report

Posted on September 16, 2013 by

I quite enjoy the flight to Singapore (which is where I was much of last week) as it gives me time to read and catch up on a few things; once I’ve landed things get more hectic with wall to … Continue reading →

Posted in Banks, Bill Grimsey, Government, High Streets, Mary Portas, Property, Rates, Tax, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Poll Tax and Business Rates

Posted on September 2, 2013 by

This week is the Mary and Bill show – fast turning in to the retail version of Punch and Judy – and no doubt we will return to the rival (?) visions of the high street after I’ve had chance … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Grimsey, Government, High Streets, Mary Portas, Property, Rates, Tax, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment