Geographical investigations - Rebranding places

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Geographical

investigations

Rebranding

places

Time to

Rebrand

Rebranding

Regeneration, rebranding

and reimaging

of places has become increasingly prominent on government

agendas in recent years, especially in areas that have experienced

significant economic or industrial decline.

Process

of renewing places is expensive and often involves physical redevelopment

of outdated facilities.

Rebranding

and reimaging mean more than just improving the cosmetics of a place, also

concerned with reputation, spirit and identity.

In

rebranding there are 4 focuses:

Environmental – to improve derelict

infrastructure and the quality of the environment.

Social – to overcome spiral of decline and

deprivation and cycle of poverty.

Economic – to improve job opportunities and

bring income to the area

Political – to raise money for projects through

the ‘bid industry’ which is necessary for successful rebranding.

The

need to rebrand

Rebranding may be required in a variety of

locations: urban areas, former industrial regions or parts of the

countryside and coastal areas.

CITIES

IN DECLINE

Increasing costs of upkeep, developing and

remodelling of Central business districts (CBDs).

Many CBDs are becoming increasingly congested,

inaccessible and expensive.

Loss of retailing function from CBDs to

out-of-town shopping centres.

Loss of offices and commercial functions from

city centres to suburban and peripheral locations, such as prestige

science parks

City centres perceived as dirty and unsafe.

BIRMINGHAM

Image for many years was determined by events at

the British Leyland

factory (later Rover).

The impression was that of a city with a

disruptive and powerful workforce with weak management.

Reconstruction of image in 1990s caught between

2 factors:

-Historical importance of

the car industry to the identity of the region.

-A series of negative

associations linked to the industry.

Also identified with failures of ‘modernist’

project Modernism was an architectural style in 1950s and 1960s relying on

simplistic and often angulay form using iron, steel, concrete and glass.

Current wave of remaking is producing impressive

new buildings and using culture and identity to drive regeneration.

1976 –

National exhibition centre (NEC) opened on greenbelt land near to Birmingham city

airport.

Late

1980s – International convention centre (ICC) and symphony hall opened.

Development of areas around broad street. Extention and refurbishment of Birmingham

repertory theatre.

1193 –

Initial development by Argent group of Brindley place – 7ha development

costing £350m. Now houses sea life centre, Ikon and Royal bank of Scotland.

2003 –

Bullring development opened at £530m, creating 8000 new jobs.

2005 –

Completion of £40m redevelopment of Matthew Boulton college, teaching over

500 courses to 7000 students.

2013 –

First half of redeveloping New

Street Station opened 28th

April.

COALFIELD COMMUNITIES

UK

coal industry been in decline for years, during last 2 decades most coal

mines in Britain were

closed.

Between

1984 and 1997, 170,000 coal mining jobs were lost in England.

This

raised problems for communities built around them:

-Areas were characterised

by high levels of dereliction and ground contamination, mostly the legacy of

mining.

-Not a strong tradition

of self-employment.

-Lack of education and

training in populations of coalfield areas.

-Proportion of population

in 1991 classified as having long-term limiting illness was 15% in coalfield

regions, compared to 12% in England

on the whole.

COUNTRYSIDE IN CRISIS?

Recently,

the view that rural life is difficult and under threat has become

prominent.

Partly

due to media coverage of farming crises, such as the 2001 foot-and-mouth

outbreak.

A

number of rural pressure groups and interest groups such as the

Countryside Alliance have

highlighted difficulties faced by rural residents.

Created

a somewhat ant-idyllic view:

-Backward

-Unsophisticated

-Unfriendly (especially

to incomers)

-Environmentally damaged

-Boring

Sleepy & slow

These

viewpoints have been reinforced by media representation. E.g. Tv shows

such as Father Ted Portrays

rural people as simple and backward.

PROBLEMS AT THE SEASIDE

Most

coastal settlements are dependent on seasonal, resort economy which is

shrinking.

Many

coastal areas have also experienced decline in their fishing industries

and this is coupled with high concentrations of migrant labour.

Coastal

regions can only be accessed from one direction and tend to be remote and

difficult to get to.

BLACKPOOL IN DECLINE

The Victorian working-class town of Blackpool drew

17 million visitors a year, now struggles to attract more than 10 million.

Cheap package holidays drew many families away

in the 1980s.

Large Northern cities such as Leeds and Newcastle cornered

the ‘weekend break’ market in 1990s.

Fewer tourists mean fewer jobs.

Between 1994 and 2005, the number of registered

businesses in Blackpool fell

by 6%, but the number in the country rose by 15%.

Unemployment is now at 7% and wages have fallen.

In 2002, the Average Blackpudlian was paid 17%

less than the average Briton, this gap increased to 26% by 2006.

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