Author: Leigh Sparks
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January 2024 – Roll over of some areas for new year, plus The Economics Observatory piece on Christmas trading (see commentaries tab)
May 2023 – Two new articles and a book chapter noted on the Journal Articles page
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Tag Archives: Convenience
The Wonder of Woolies – 15 Years On
Early January 2024 marked 15 years from the collapse of Woolworths in the UK and the closure of its 807 mainly high street stores. There are several potential parents of the phrase ‘death of the high street’, spanning many decades, … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Buildings, Consumer Change, Convenience stores, Discounters, Heritage, High Streets, History, Reinvention, Retail Change, Retail Failure, Retail History, Town Centre Living, Town Centres, Uncategorized, Urban History, Woolworths
Tagged Convenience, Discounters, Discounts, failure, High Streets, Reinvention, Retail, Retail Change, Streetscape, Town Centre Living, Woolworths
2 Comments
The Scottish Convenience Store Sector 2023
Due to University commitments I was unfortunately unable to attend the Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Group on Independent Convenience Stores Tuesday evening. The technological advances in hybrid meetings however meant I was able to present online. I was delighted to accept … Continue reading
Posted in Association of Convenience Stores, Convenience, Convenience stores, Cross Party Group, Food Retailing, Go Local, Grocery retailing, Healthy Living, Local Multiplier, Local Retailers, Retailers, Retailing, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Retailing
Tagged Association of Convenience Stores, Brexit, Convenience, Convenience stores, Covid, Food retailing, Go Local, Healthy Living, Impact, Local Multiplier, Local Shop Report 2023, Local Stores, Scottish Grocers Federation
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Giving Evidence to the Economy and Fair Work Committee on Town Centres and Retail
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee’s call for written evidence for its inquiry into town centre and retail expired on the 16th March and they are now into oral evidence. The Committee posed two questions in its opening … Continue reading
Posted in "We" towns, 20 Minute Neighbourhood, Car Use Reduction, Climate Emergency, community wealth building, Consumer Change, Convenience, Decentralisation, Government, High Streets, Internet shopping, New Future for Scotland's Towns, NPF4, Place Based Investment Programme, Place Principle, Planning, Retail Change, Retailing, Scotland Loves Local, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Sustainable Development, Town Centre Action Plan, town centre first, Town Centre Living, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns
Tagged 20 Minute Neighbourhoods, A New Future for Scotland's Towns, Car Use Reduction, community wealth building, Convenience, High Streets, internet shopping, Out of Town, Out of town impacts, Public Sector, Retail, Scotland, Scotland Loves Local, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottich Government, Scottish Parliament, Town Centre Action plan, town centre first, Town Centre Review, Town Centres
7 Comments
Queen Bees : Q-commerce, the on-demand world and the changing meaning of online retailing
Online retailing is now close to 30 years old. It has seen an almost relentless growth over much of this period, accelerated by events such as Black Friday and Christmas, and more recently super-charged by the pandemic and lockdown. The … Continue reading
Posted in Amazon, Availability, Black Friday, Community, Consumer Lifestyle, Consumers, Convenience stores, Customer Service, Dark Stores, Employment practices, Food Retailing, Home, Home Delivery, Internet, Internet shopping, Just in Time, Office for National Statistics, On demand retailing, Online Retailing, Q-commerce, Retailers, Retailing, Shopping
Tagged Amazon, Community, Convenience, Convenience stores, Dark Stores, Gig Economy, Home Delivery, internet retailing, Neighbourhood, On demand retailing, Q-commerce, Tesco
1 Comment
Independent Retailing During and After the Pandemic: Tell your Stories
In my last post one of the statements that garnered quite a lot of attention was “As an example, I am hearing of (and locally seeing) quite a lot of local independent businesses opening up, and a better realism of … Continue reading
Posted in #IndieHour, Bill Grimsey, Collaboration, Community, Convenience, Entrepreneurship, Government, Independents, Local Retailers, Online Retailing, Pandemic, Retailers, Retailing, Scotland, Scotland Loves Local, Scotland's Improvement Districts, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Uncategorized, Wholesaling
Tagged #IndieHour, Community, Convenience, Covid-19, Grimsey, Independent Retailing, independents, Lockdown, Online retailing, Pandemic, Retailing, Scotland, Scotland Loves Local, technology, Wholesalers
2 Comments
Confidence, Cash and Friction: Shopping in Scotland
So, shops (well those not cooped up in an indoor shopping centre) in Scotland are now open. The long road back to re-opening the economy has taken another step forward, and one result is a gigantic queue outside a city … Continue reading
Posted in Cash, Click and Collect, Consumer Change, Consumers, Convenience, Covid19, Employees, Friction, High Streets, Home Delivery, Internet shopping, Lockdown, Online Retailing, Opening Hours, Queuing, Retail Change, Scotland, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scottish Retailing, Shopping, Shopping Centres, Social Distancing, Town Centres, Uncategorized
Tagged Cash, Consumer Confidence, Convenience, Covid-19, Delivery, Friction, Lockdown, Online, Opening, Queuing, Retail, Scotland, Social Distancing, Staff
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Trends in Retailing and Leisure in Scotland’s Towns and Cities
In late November a good audience gathered before breakfast in Glasgow for the Local Data Company/University of Stirling 5th Scottish Retail Summit, and heard presentations and discussions about trends in Scottish retailing and town centres. The infographic at the end … Continue reading
Posted in Community, Consumer Change, Convenience stores, Data, Food Retailing, High Streets, Institute for Retail Studies, Internet, Local Authorities, Local Data Company, Local Retailers, Places, Policy, Regeneration, Reinvention, Retail Planning, Retailers, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Retailing, Secondary Locations, Shopping Centres, Small Towns, Store Closures, Tourism, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, Trends, University of Stirling, Vacancies
Tagged Co-operatives, Convenience, Data, High Streets, Institute for Retail Studies, Internet, Leisure, Local Data Company, Retailing, Scotland, Scotland's Towns, Tourism, towns, University of Stirling, Vacancy
1 Comment
Retail Vacancy and Structural Change in Scotland’s Towns and Cities
For the last four years, mid December has seen the release of the latest edition of the Local Data Company/University of Stirling Retail report on the situation of retailing in the major towns and cities across Scotland. Last Tuesday saw … Continue reading
Posted in Academics, Christmas, Convenience stores, Independents, Places, Rates, Retail Policy, Retailers, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Scottish Retailing, Services, Shop Numbers, Small Towns, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Living, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, University of Stirling, Vacancies
Tagged Convenience, Local Data Company, off Licences, Persistent Vacancy, Places, Rates, Retail Change, Scotland, Services, Town Centre Living, towns, Vacancies
3 Comments
Singapore Swing
My current dose of warm weather in Singapore and soon in Hong Kong is mainly about meeting and talking to partners of the University of Stirling in my capacity as Deputy Principal for Internationalisation and Graduate Studies. It is good … Continue reading
Posted in Academics, Consumer Change, Consumer Lifestyle, Consumers, Convenience stores, Experiential, Multichannel, Retail brands, Retailers, Singapore
Tagged authentic, Brands, compelling, Consumers, Convenience, ease, engaged, entertained, Retail, Singapore, stores, Trends
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