Category Archives: Start-ups

“Against All Odds” – Independent Business Success Stories

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Leigh Sparks

Over the last decade or so Bill Grimsey has carved out a niche in directing a review team to look at high streets, town centres and retailing and to present ideas for what we should do about improving them.  Summarising … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Grimsey, Closure, Covid19, Finance, Government, Home Delivery, Independents, Innovation, Local Retailers, Online Retailing, Rates, Retailers, Retailing, Small Shops, Start-ups | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shops: More or Less (and #IndieHour)

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

This blog has a number of recurring themes – or nightmares.  Most of them are focused around the themes of the mis-use of data, the lack of reaction about the structural change underway across retailing and the unwillingness of many … Continue reading →

Posted in #IndieHour, Collaboration, Consumers, High Streets, Independents, Internet shopping, Landlords, Online Retailing, Reinvention, Relationships, Rents, Retail Change, Retailers, Small Shops, Start-ups, Towns, Uncategorized, University of Stirling, Vibrancy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pretty Vacant

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Leigh Sparks

              On the 2nd December we launched our second Retailing in Scotland’s Towns and Cities report, at what we hope will become an annual Retail Summit date in the calendar. Our partnership with the … Continue reading →

Posted in ESRC, Government, High Streets, Local Data Company, Longitudinal Data, PhD, Places, Retailers, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Start-ups, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, Vacancies | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Losing Heart? Re-imagining our town and city centres

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

The current debates and reviews into town centres and the plight of the high street is, at so many levels, a debate about the importance and meaning of place.  It is no surprise therefore that the most recent issue of … Continue reading →

Posted in BIDS, Government, High Streets, Historic Shops, Local Retailers, Places, Property, Public Realm, Retail Policy, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Start-ups, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Political Will?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

My interactions with MSPs on the subject of shopping, retailing and town centres have never been really that impressive – they probably say the same of me. If often wonder if, as they spend so much time politicking, they get … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, MSPs, Places, Rates, Retail Policy, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Start-ups, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Made in Stirling

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

Over the last year I have increasingly argued that with the withdrawal of many multiple retailers from many high streets we are entering a period a major structural change in consumer behaviour and retail opportunities. This will not necessarily be … Continue reading →

Posted in High Streets, Independents, Localisation, Places, Pop-Up Shops, Property, Regeneration, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Start-ups, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Retailing in Seattle

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Leigh Sparks

A quarter of a century or so ago I was fortunate enough to be awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship.  As part of that I ended up in Seattle and interviewed various executives and family from Nordstrom, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Co-operatives, Customer Service, Farmers Markets, Start-ups | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Raising Dough?

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Leigh Sparks

A few months ago in an email exchange arising from one of my posts, I learned about a retail business start-up that might come to fruition. Well, this week (6th  October) it happens. Dunbar is to see the opening of … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Co-operatives, Customer Service, Food, Food Retailing, Gastronomy, High Streets, Independents, Places, Retail Diversity, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Slow Food, Start-ups, Town Centres, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment