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Service provision in a UK city - Leicester
Shopping patterns in Leicester and the changing location of tertiary economic activities
City Centre - CBD
Selling a mixture of high order (comparison) and low order (convenience) goods in the High street. Traditional shopping site with a mixture of large and small stores.
Inner city terraced housing- e.g. Westcotes
Less than 1km from the CBD. This type of housing was originally built to provide cheap accommodation for those people involved in heavy industry. They are located near to corner shops and shopping parades selling low order, convenience goods such as newspapers and milk.
Inner city redevelopment of flats- e.g. Wycliffe
Located 1-2km from the CBD. This type of accommodation was originally built to solve the problems of overcrowding in inner city areas. Large areas of nineteenth century terraced houses were demolished and replaced with these tower blocks. Shopping parades exist, comprising of small shops usually selling convenience goods and services such as hairdressers
Suburban housing-e.g. Evington
Located 4km from the CBD. This type of housing provides a high quality of life for commuters away from their workplace. Life in the suburbs provides access to high quality private housing and some services that are rarely available close to the city centre such as retail parks like Fosse Park in Leicester and Cribbs Causeway in Bristol selling high order, comparison goods such as TVs and Furniture.
Changing location of services
Since the 1990s many retailers such as Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Currys have moved out of the CBD to out-of-town shopping Centres such as Fosse Park in Leicester and Cribbs Causeway in Bristol
The new out-of-town locations are chosen for the following reasons:
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Large flat site ensures that stores can be large and have room to expand
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Cheaper land prices on the outskirts of cities like Leicester
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Large site also provides large amounts of free parking for shoppers which attracts them
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Easy access via the M1 in Leicester and the M5 in Bristol for shoppers and deliveries
Impact of these changes
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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People
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Larger stores means greater choice for consumers
Easier access to stores and free parking
More employment created in new stores
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Smaller stores in the CBD forced to close as shoppers use out-of-town stores
Jobs lost in city centre stores
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Environment
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Less congestion in city centres
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Greenfield sites built on around edge of cities leading to increased urban sprawl
City centre loses investment. As a result, shopping areas become shabby and unattractive. Risk of crime and vandalism increases.
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D Drake 2010
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