Author: Leigh Sparks
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May 2021 – Journal Articles page updated with two new academic papers in Planning, Theory and Practice, and Sustainability, joining our Ageing & Society paper
March 2021 – Personal Biography redesigned and updated
January 2021 – Updates of Media Commentary and Journal Articles page structures
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Category Archives: Wales
Town Centres in Wales: Bounded Muscularity?
A few months ago I, together with Phil Prentice (STP), had a long discussion with representatives of Audit Wales around enhancing town centres. This came in the wake of the review I chaired, and the report I authored, for the … Continue reading
Posted in Car Parking, Government, High Streets, Out of Town, Places, Regeneration, Retail Change, Retail Policy, Scotland, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Small Towns, Town Centre Action Plan, town centre first, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, Understanding Scottish Places, Understanding Welsh Places, Wales
Tagged Audit Wales, Bridgend, Car Dependency, Foundation Economy Research, Non-domestic rates, Place, Regeneration, Retailing, Scotland, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Tax, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, towns, Understanding Scottish Places, Understanding Welsh Places, Wales
2 Comments
La Dolce Vita – or perhaps not
I am on annual leave today and tomorrow. These dates have been in the diary for some time; over a year to be precise. Whilst being on leave will be a relief (for me and no doubt some colleagues) it … Continue reading
Posted in Consumers, Covid19, Food and Beverage, Italy, Markets, Pandemic, Retail Economy, Retailers, Rugby Union, Social Renewal, Sport, Uncategorized, Wales
Tagged Consumer Spending, Eataly, Events, Food and Drink, Italy, Local Business, Markets, Rome, Rugby, Six Nations, Sport, Wales
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Essential vs Non-Essential Retailing
At the start of lockdown in March, there was a division of retailing into essential and non-essential retailing, with a secondary division into physical and online channels. There was some grumbling from some retailers (Sports Direct, Waterstones) who felt they … Continue reading
Posted in Alcohol, Closure, Essential Retailing, Government, Independents, Lockdown, Non-Essential Retailing, Non-food retailing, Online Retailing, Regulation, Scottish Government, Uncategorized, Wales
Tagged Covid-19, Essential, Independent Retailing, Lockdown, Non-Essential Retailing, Regulation, Retail
5 Comments
Week 26 in my Greenhouse
Anyone who follows me on twitter will have become used to Saturday pictures and tweets about the progress or not in my greenhouse. On the 28th March I began (week 1) and here we are at week 26 – half … Continue reading
Posted in Availability, Covid19, Food, Garden Centres, Gardens, Lockdown, Logistics, Retailers, Retailing, Rugby Union, Seeds, Twitter, Uncategorized, Wales
Tagged Food, Garden Centres, Home Growing, Lockdown, Seeds, Twitter
2 Comments
Lockdown Reading: Welsh Saints on the Mormon Trail
When we were living in the USA in 2000-1 we flew to Jackson Hole in Wyoming via Salt Lake City. That last flight to Jackson Hole was the most unpleasant flight I’ve taken before or since, shaken and bounced over … Continue reading
Posted in Ajax Underground Store, Buildings, Catalogues, Cooperatives, Department Stores, Emigration, Historic Shops, History, Mormons, Places, Retail History, Retailers, Retailing, Uncategorized, USA, Wales, Zion Co-operative Mercantile Institution
Tagged Ajax Underground Store, Buildings, Emigrants, History, Mormon Trail, Mormons, Pioneers, Retail, Salt Lake City, Shops, Utah, Wales, Welsh Mormons, Zion Co-operative Mercantile Institution
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London’s Welsh Dairies: The Welsh Milk Trade
As a child I remember people mentioning the ‘milk train’ between London and South Wales, but was never sure if it was first up or last down or both. Before I married, my fiancée and I went to stay in … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Buildings, Consumer Change, Consumers, Customer Service, distribution, Food, Food Retailing, Heritage, High Streets, Historic Shops, History, Independents, London, MIlk, Retail Change, Retail History, Sanders Bros, Shopfronts, Signage, Uncategorized, Urban History, Wales
Tagged Book, Consumer change, Dairy, Distribution and Supply, Drovers, Heritage, History, London Welsh, MIlk, Retail History, Retailing, Sanders Bros, Shopfronts, Wales
14 Comments
Do Times Change? Cardiff Market
My fascination with markets is pretty well known and has been rolled out in posts in this blog on a regular basis. One of the markets that has featured has been Cardiff Market; somewhere I have been visiting for over … Continue reading
Posted in Cardiff, Consumers, Corporate History, Costs, Fish, Food, Food Retailing, Historic Shops, History, Local Retailers, Markets, Rates, Regulation, Rents, Retail Change, Retail History, Urban History, Wales
Tagged Ashton's, Cardiff, Cardiff Market, Costs, Fishmongers, food quality, History, Local, Markets, Recession, Retail Change, Small Businesses
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Understanding Welsh Places
Since the development of Understanding Scottish Places (USP) there has been a lot of interest in both the development itself and its potential to be replicated in other countries. At events in Scotland and when STP and others have presented … Continue reading
Posted in Academics, Carnegie UK Trust, CLES, Data, Local Authorities, Places, Planning, Relationships, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Small Towns, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, Towns Typology, Understanding Scottish Places, Understanding Welsh Places, University of Stirling, Wales
Tagged Carnegie UK Trust, CLES, Data, Inter-relationships, Places, Scotland's Towns Partnership, towns, Understanding Scottish Places, Understanding Welsh Places, USP
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Aberfan
At a period when there seems to be an anniversary at every turn, on the 21st October there will be the 50th remembrance of a truly shocking event – Aberfan. Seared in the memories of individuals and communities, especially across … Continue reading
Posted in Campaigns, Community, Disasters, Governance, Government, History, Personal, Places, Regeneration, Regulation, Social Justice, Wales
Tagged Aberfan, Book, Community, Cover-up, Disaster, South Wales
3 Comments
Does Distance Lend Perspective?
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 Black Friday, Daffodils, Footfall, Profits, South Africa, Tesco, Wales
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