The Post Office closed and reopened as a DVD shop. Then the DVD shop closed and reopened as a shop selling…well, to be honest I’m not sure what it is selling, the window display does not tempt me to cross the street let alone go through the door, but it looks like they are selling ‘gifts’. Or to put it another way, more stuff.
Edinburgh’s New Street: not a ‘retail destination’ but the graffiti wall is well worth a visit
While Scottish high street retailers call for a freeze in business rates to help them combat the recession and online sales revolution, Broughton Street is an interesting case study in the evolution of the local shopping centre. Gone are post office, jeweller’s, clock-makers and hardware store. But butcher, baker, bookshop and florist survive among cafes, bars, dress and craft (or gift) shops.
Broughton is what the city marketing department would call a successful ‘retail destination’. Oh, dear god preserve us from marketing-speak. Part of me applauds Edinburgh city council for seeing the value of bustling neighbourhoods like Broughton and Stockbridge (where, incidentally, St Stephen street is ‘Scotland’s first retail destination to win a WorldHost award for customer service‘. No, I’m not sure what that means either but look out for WorldHost signs popping up in other Edinburgh ‘town centres’ – Bruntsfield, Morningside, West End, Grassmarket and maybe Leith Walk).
Encouraging people to enjoy their neighbourhood seems a thoroughly good idea. But my soul shrinks at the very word: retail. On Scottish television last week there was a long item on the plight of the retail industry and the hope that discounts would bring crowds back to those shiny shopping malls. Watching reporters and shoppers trying to get excited about Christmas shopping in, er, shops, I had a brief out-of-planet moment. Is this where evolution has led homo sapiens: from hunter gather to farmer, from farmer to manufacturer, from manufacturers to consumer? Our purpose in life to wander the streets, arms dragged ape-like by bulging poly bags ….? Or, more likely indoors, glued to the screen, in a brave new virtual world of faceless transactions?
Shopping.
Is this really our best hope for the future? So much for George Osborne’s talk of rebalancing Britain’s economy from consuming to making. And latest figures suggest we can’t even shop enough to lift the country back to growth.
San Anton Market, Madrid: a place to eat, drink and meet friends after the shopping is done
While Scotland’s retailers lobby John Swinney to freeze business rates, wouldn’t it be good if policy makers saw an opportunity to do things differently? There’s so much more than shopping to the art and craft of making a prosperous town centre. Cities, like any other environment, thrive on diversity. Good shops are good for local economies but only as part of a healthy mixture of businesses.
In many European cities, visitors can explore the spcciality of the neighbourhood – lace and leather making, woodwork and weaving – and of course tourism helps to keep them going. Instead of promoting ‘retail destinations’ Edinburgh might try nurturing the distinct character and culture of different neighbourhoods. reviving and creating local workshops to display the skills of local talent.
A Berlin side street, shop and cafe combined
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