TALKING SHOP
PENNINE LANCASHIRE
Project Overview
Pennine Lancashire had been chosen as the place of the research because of the proposed regeneration and housing market renewal expected to take place over the next few years.
The pilot project "Shopkeepers" was delivered in 2005 in Pendle, this project consisted of documentary photographs and film which present the viewer with information connected to the independent shops participating in the project.
Talking Shop began in 2006 when Gavin Parry and Lucy Bergman documented the local shops and businesses in particular wards in Burnley which were to undergo regeneration and were part of a large area due for housing renewal.
In Accrington two artists initiated their own project to record and document the shops on Blackburn Road in Accrington. They called their project "Untitled Exchanges" where they decided to use the idea of a found £1 coin to direct the process of their engagement.
The project initiated in Rossendale involved shops in rural communities. Two artists worked with ten different schools throughout the area.
An offshoot project was also delivered in Oswaldtwistle, a neighbouring town of Accrington. The shops along Union Road were documented and a play was commissioned specially and performed in Oswaldtwistle Mills.
Gayle Knight revisited Oswaldtwistle in 2008 and compiled a case study of the shops on Union Road. This gentleman in the chair reported that “business was more or less ticking over as ever it was".
A few of the businesses had ceased trading however and the closure of the Post Office had a negative effect on many of the shops located near to it. Over the time of Gayle’s documentation both Post Offices had closed and although one had been re-sited in the Co-op many traders reported that people could drive to the Co-op and therefore they missed out on passing trade.
Gayle reports that on the whole the outlook for small businesses was concerning, eight shops had closed in the intervening period, 5 premises were now used for completely new business, two had new owners, two were in the process of selling and three new businesses had opened on premises not visited before.
Gayle suggested that a shopkeepers forum would perhaps help develop relationships between the traders and contribute to promotion.
Burnley, Accrington and Rossendale have been similarly affected. Some of the shops have closed and as one drives through areas of Burnley it is easy to see that a huge regeneration programme is underway.
There has been criticism of the more universal solutions to urban problems and it is now understood that the key to encouraging development lies at the neighbourhood level (Haughton and Hunter 1994). In their book "Sustainable Cities" they refer to the term "organic planning" to describe how successful sustainable neighbourhood regeneration is achievable by rejecting the blueprint solutions from outside and concentrating on ideas generated locally which respect local conditions. What better way to advocate a role for "Talking Shop" as a means for consulting independent retailers and local communities.
The following are quotes from urbanists who recognise the importance of local distinctiveness in planning regeneration.
"A recognition of how refurbishing the old fostered distinctiveness, identity, and could generate money."
Charles Landry, The Creative City
"Local life, in fact, is all about communicating across boundaries, even if one lives in an economic "ghetto" of rich or poor. Part of the process of looking around is listening to each other. ”
Lucy Lippard, The Lure Of The Local
"The key to developing sustainable urban forms lies in encouraging development at the neighbourhood level. Through the inclusion of the neighbourhood in planning for their locality, grass roots expertise and knowledge are utilised, so respecting local conditions and valuing local social processes."
Tim Hall, Urban Geography
PENNINE LANCASHIRE
Project Overview
Pennine Lancashire had been chosen as the place of the research because of the proposed regeneration and housing market renewal expected to take place over the next few years.
The pilot project "Shopkeepers" was delivered in 2005 in Pendle, this project consisted of documentary photographs and film which present the viewer with information connected to the independent shops participating in the project.
Talking Shop began in 2006 when Gavin Parry and Lucy Bergman documented the local shops and businesses in particular wards in Burnley which were to undergo regeneration and were part of a large area due for housing renewal.
In Accrington two artists initiated their own project to record and document the shops on Blackburn Road in Accrington. They called their project "Untitled Exchanges" where they decided to use the idea of a found £1 coin to direct the process of their engagement.
The project initiated in Rossendale involved shops in rural communities. Two artists worked with ten different schools throughout the area.
An offshoot project was also delivered in Oswaldtwistle, a neighbouring town of Accrington. The shops along Union Road were documented and a play was commissioned specially and performed in Oswaldtwistle Mills.
Gayle Knight revisited Oswaldtwistle in 2008 and compiled a case study of the shops on Union Road. This gentleman in the chair reported that “business was more or less ticking over as ever it was".
A few of the businesses had ceased trading however and the closure of the Post Office had a negative effect on many of the shops located near to it. Over the time of Gayle’s documentation both Post Offices had closed and although one had been re-sited in the Co-op many traders reported that people could drive to the Co-op and therefore they missed out on passing trade.
Gayle reports that on the whole the outlook for small businesses was concerning, eight shops had closed in the intervening period, 5 premises were now used for completely new business, two had new owners, two were in the process of selling and three new businesses had opened on premises not visited before.
Gayle suggested that a shopkeepers forum would perhaps help develop relationships between the traders and contribute to promotion.
Burnley, Accrington and Rossendale have been similarly affected. Some of the shops have closed and as one drives through areas of Burnley it is easy to see that a huge regeneration programme is underway.
There has been criticism of the more universal solutions to urban problems and it is now understood that the key to encouraging development lies at the neighbourhood level (Haughton and Hunter 1994). In their book "Sustainable Cities" they refer to the term "organic planning" to describe how successful sustainable neighbourhood regeneration is achievable by rejecting the blueprint solutions from outside and concentrating on ideas generated locally which respect local conditions. What better way to advocate a role for "Talking Shop" as a means for consulting independent retailers and local communities.
The following are quotes from urbanists who recognise the importance of local distinctiveness in planning regeneration.
"A recognition of how refurbishing the old fostered distinctiveness, identity, and could generate money."
Charles Landry, The Creative City
"Local life, in fact, is all about communicating across boundaries, even if one lives in an economic "ghetto" of rich or poor. Part of the process of looking around is listening to each other. ”
Lucy Lippard, The Lure Of The Local
"The key to developing sustainable urban forms lies in encouraging development at the neighbourhood level. Through the inclusion of the neighbourhood in planning for their locality, grass roots expertise and knowledge are utilised, so respecting local conditions and valuing local social processes."
Tim Hall, Urban Geography
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