Category: Thoughts
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Thoughts: Why UK Experience Economy Leaders Emigrate Rather Than Expand To Secondary Towns, and What Can Be Done About It
Why Do the UK’s Innovative Experience Economy Producers Focus on the USA After Launching in London, Rather than Secondary Towns? The UK’s experience economy is booming, driven by the rise of immersive entertainment, competitive socialising, and experiential art installations. Pioneering producers such as Phantom Peak, Swingers, Secret Cinema, Punchdrunk, and Otherworld VR are redefining entertainment in…
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Thoughts: Reimagining Vacant Department Stores on the UK High Street: A Call for Cultural and Community Hubs
As retail continues its shift online, UK high streets face a future where vacant department stores, once bustling economic anchors, are increasingly common. The reality is that retail will not return to its pre-pandemic levels, and the once-mighty department store will likely remain a relic of the past. Instead of waiting for traditional retail to…
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Thoughts: How Secondary Towns Can Harness Tourism, Cultural Investment, and Vacant Retail Spaces to Revitalise Local Economies
As secondary towns across the UK face challenges such as declining high streets and vacant retail spaces, the opportunity for economic growth through tourism and cultural investment has become more pressing. With government funding initiatives like the “Long-Term Plan for Towns” and increased attention from VisitBritain, local councils can attract new visitors and creatively repurpose…
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Thoughts: How Communities and Local Councils Can Drive Cultural-Led Regeneration
As more towns face economic challenges from the decline of retail and high streets, cultural-led regeneration has proven to be a powerful tool in revitalising local economies. However, waiting for top-down initiatives isn’t always enough. Communities can—and should—play a proactive role in driving these changes, while local councils need to adopt strategies that facilitate and…
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Thoughts: Why Isn’t Cultural-Led Regeneration Happening in More Places?
As cities like Margate, Liverpool, and Leeds successfully stimulate economic growth through immersive, culture-led regeneration, the question arises: why isn’t this happening more widely across the UK? Many towns and cities face similar challenges of declining high streets, retail closures, and struggling local economies, yet few have embraced creative regeneration strategies with the same vigor.…
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Activating Communities with Adventure Game Treasure Hunts:
A Cost-Effective Strategy for Town Revitalisation Towns and cities around the world are continuously seeking innovative ways to engage their communities, increase foot traffic, and bring vitality back to their streets. One increasingly popular method is using adventure game treasure hunts that transform the town into an interactive playground, engaging local merchants, actors, and restaurants…
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Are Councils Creating Attractive Forces for Communities and Tourists?
The Gravity of Town Centres: Are Councils Creating Attractive Forces for Communities and Tourists? Imagine your town centre as a gravitational field. Every business, park, entertainment venue, or café is a point of attraction, pulling people in to engage, spend time, and contribute to the local economy. But as with any gravitational system, the force…