Tag Archives: Property

The Small Business Bonus Scheme

Posted on April 20, 2022 by Leigh Sparks

One of the recommendations of the 2017 Barclay Review of the Non-Domestic Rates System in Scotland was that an evaluation of the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) be undertaken. Five years on, it has finally arrived, all 232 pages of … Continue reading →

Posted in Barclay Review, Government, Internet, Large Store Levy, Legislation, Local Authorities, Non-domestic rates, Online Retailing, Out of Town, Public Policy, Rates, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scottish Government, Small Business Bonus Scheme, Small Shops, Tax, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Landlords vs Retailers or Zombies vs Aliens?

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

There are not many reasons for feeling sorry for Philip Green (see my earlier blogs here  here and here and those were before the latest American and other revelations), but the fact that he is in such a weakened state … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Arcadia, Closure, CVA, Inter-depenendencies, Landlords, management, Philip Green, Property, Rates, Rents, Retail Change, Store Closures, Town Centres, Towns, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Next Ten Years of Grocery Retailing?

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

Given we are less than 10 weeks away from Brexit and the possible end of the grocery world as we know, writing a post about retailing a decade ahead seems foolhardy (spoiler alert; it is).  But bear with me. Let’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Amazon, Asda, Brexit, Competition, Consumer Change, Customer engagement, Food Retailing, Property, Reinvention, Retail Change, Retail Failure, Sainsbury, Store Closures, Tesco, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Yours for £1 (not really)

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

It was an eye-catching gimmick, and it did the job, getting media coverage (and me onto the radio (again)). In early February, at a London auction The Postings shopping centre in Kirkcaldy was put up for sale with a reserve … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Community, Community Development, Creative Places, Dumfries, High Streets, Kirkcaldy, Landlords, Localisation, Places, Property, Regeneration, Retail Change, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Shopping Centres, Town Centre Living, Town Centres, Towns, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Places of Possibility; Spaces of Opportunity”

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Leigh Sparks

It was with the phrase “Places of Possibility; Spaces of Opportunity” that we ended Julian Dobson’s tour de force on “How to Save our Town Centres” last Wednesday. His presentation and Scottish book launch to a full Storytelling centre in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Crowdfunding, High Streets, MSPs, Places, Planning, Property, Public Realm, Retailers, Retailing, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Spaces, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centres, Towns, Understanding Scottish Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Righting the Tesco Supertanker?

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

Well a few days have now passed since the Tesco figures and the dust has settled some what. Much of the attention of course has fallen on the withdrawal from the USA and the attempts to be made to sell … Continue reading →

Posted in Banks, International Retailing, Internet shopping, Market Shares, Online Retailing, Property, Tesco | Tagged , , , , | 9 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

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 , , , , , | 8 Comments