This page provides a listing of, and links to, some of the media commentary produced by Leigh Sparks on various retail related topics.
November 2019
Revival of Edinburgh Jenners building may force stores departure, comments by Leigh Sparks, Guardian, 26th November
Jenners set to quit Princes Street as Danish billionaire plans revival of iconic Edinburgh building, comments by Leigh Sparks, Edinburgh Evening News, 26th November (and Scotsman) – and follow up opinion piece by John McClellan citing this
No baby boom for Mothercare as the chain calls in administrators, comments by Leigh Sparks, Herald, 5th November
October 2019
Poundland threatens to cheapen Princes Street, comments by Leigh Sparks, The Times, 17th October
Fears over financial future of Pizza Express, comments by Leigh Sparks, Scotsman, 7th October
August 2019
£90m fund needed to halt decline of the high street, comments by Leigh Sparks, The Times, 21st August.
The future for town centres – discussion on Radio Scotland with Stephen Jardine, 20th August
June 2019
More people living on Scotland’s high streets than anywhere else in the UK, Scotsman, 6th June
BBC Radio Scotland – discussion on Waitrose trial of removing single use plastics, 4th June, Drivetime
March 2019
Small towns need priority status as lifeblood of Scotland’s economy – comments by Leigh Sparks as Chair, STP, Insider.co.uk, 27th March
Monoploy power vs Scottish food: how big money is undermining our most fundamental need, Sourcenews.scot, news analysis by Common Weal, 27th March, comments by Leigh Sparks
Freak weather will “make life harder for business”, BBC News Online 1st March
February 2019
Westminster’s high street reforms could leave Scotland behind, Scotsman, 21st February (also in iNewspaper)
BBC Radio Scotland – discussion on the future of the high street and in particular Dumfries, 5th February, Good Morning Scotland
January 2019
BBC Radio Scotland – interview on the future of the high street, 26th January, Good Morning Scotland
Online Shopping Remorse – The Scottish Sun, 25th January
BBC Radio Scotland – interview on the ways in which big retailers will have to adapt in the coming years. 6th January, Good Morning Scotland
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