Retailing and Other Services

Retail and Other Services

There used to be a traditional hierarchy, in towns and cities, there were recognisable services ranging from local corner shops to shops selling comparison goods. These services provided for the urban population but also to outside of the urban areas. Out-of-town shopping centres developed on a large scale from the 1970s onwards. They were pioneered in France and the USA and were made possible by the widespread use of cars and car ownership as it gave people the freedom to choose where they wanted to shop instead of having to go where they could walk to or where public transport would take them. Most cities have out-of-town shopping centres and they also draw people from outside their urban area (as well as within their urban area).

Out - of Town Shopping Centres

Out - of - town shopping centres cause congestion, at slip roads and junctions and most particularly at peak periods like at a few weeks before Christmas day, on Boxing Day and in the January sales. They also push out independent shops, rent is just too high inside these centres for many independent shops to be able to compete. These centres also take away business from the CBD, can cause/ contribute to inner city decline and urban sprawl. They are also socially divisive and exclusive as you, generally, need a car to get there and this often excludes: the poor, the elderly, those under the age of 17, those who just haven't perhaps learned to drive and single parent families. 

To combat the problems of outer-town-shopping centres there are three main responses: 1) Redevelop the CBD and inner city to attract people back.2) Encourage the growth of outlet centres e.g. Bicester Village.3) Encourage the development of Box Malls - smaller shopping centres in suburbs which usually specialise in DIY, furniture and white goods.

• The Metro Centre

Out - of Town Shopping Centres

Out - of Town Shopping Centres have similar characteristics: They were built on the edge of a major conurbation where land is cheaper than in the city centres. Early on in their development they attracted at least one major "big name store" like John Lewis which then served to attract smaller stores. They are built close to housing areas where they can often draw many of their staff from. Combine shopping with leisure facilities like: bowling, cinemas, mini fun fairs etc. and also cafes, restaurants, bars and food courts. Are close to major road networks, motorways or major bypass roads. Were built on derelict land, this made the land comparatively cheaper and planning permission comparatively easy to gain, however, there were often large costs in cleaning up the land but these costs were sometimes met, in part at least, by the government. They already had or soon developed public transport, links by train, bus or new urban transport system. Have plenty of parking space that is usually free or at a cheaper rate than in the city centre.