The Role of UK Retailing in Urban Regeneration Research report January 2003 Whiteknights, Reading, Berks, RG6 6AW Tel: 0118 986 1101 Fax: 0118 975 5344 email:
[email protected] website: www.cem.ac.uk Authors: Dr Tim Dixon, Director of Research Andrew Marston, Research Officer Published January 2003 By the College of Estate Management, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AW No responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of any material included in this publication can be accepted by the authors or the publishers. © College of Estate Management ISBN 1-904388-00-0 Executive Summary Overview This research examines the role of retailing in urban regeneration nationally and locally in the UK. The research uses data at a national level and local shopping centre case studies to examine the employment and property impacts of retailing. Focusing on schemes built during the first part of the 1990s, it shows that retail can bring employment and economic benefits to town centres. However, lessons can be learned from the experience of centres built during this period of recession, and new challenges such as eCommerce now face these centres and others being developed today. Why does the research matter? The research shows that ‘in-town’ shopping centre developments have historically played an important role in job creation and general economic growth in local areas. This picture is also supported by data at a national level. However, many of the new retail jobs created during the 1990s and up to the present are female and part-time based.