Category Archives: Wales

La Dolce Vita – or perhaps not

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Essential vs Non-Essential Retailing

Posted on December 8, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Week 26 in my Greenhouse

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lockdown Reading: Welsh Saints on the Mormon Trail

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London’s Welsh Dairies: The Welsh Milk Trade

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Do Times Change? Cardiff Market

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Understanding Welsh Places

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aberfan

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Leigh Sparks

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 , , , , , | 3 Comments

Does Distance Lend Perspective?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Leigh Sparks

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

50 Years and Counting (Down)?

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

One of the many problems of getting older is that more and more anniversaries seem to come along and the numbers associated with them get ever more troubling. Next year for example my University will have been announced formally for … Continue reading →

Posted in Carrefour, Food Retailing, Hypermarkets, Retail History, Retailing, Wales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment