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Traditional or experiential places? Exploring research needs and practitioner challenges in the management of town centres beyond the economic crisis
Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal,
9
(1),
35-42
(2015)
Abstract
This paper outlines some of the key issues affecting town and city centres today, and provides glimpses of new challenges and opportunities for researchers and practitioners in this field. These include the strategic positioning of town centres, managing the evening and night-time economies effectively, the growing role of the experience economy to town centre attractiveness beyond mere retail-led approaches, the potential dichotomy between physical town centres and digital high streets, more human smart cities, as well as the growing role of emerging concepts such as the sharing economy and the circular economy. It is argued that place management practitioners will need to address these trends proactively (rather than reactively) and that further research is required in order to understand the complex interactions of the various parameters managed by place managers to keep town centres vibrant, viable, innovative and resilient to further global economic downturns.
Keywords: towns; town centre management; city management; Business Improvement Districts; digital high streets; smart cities; evening and night-time economy; events; destination management; experience economy
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Andres Coca-Stefaniak is Senior Lecturer in Events and Destination Management at the University of Greenwich, a former member of the Government’s Future High Streets Forum (Research Task Group) and editorial board member for a number of international journals in place management, tourism, events and urban regeneration. Andres was formerly Head of Research and International Partnerships at the Association of Town and City Management, founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Town & City Management and author of the influential government-funded report ‘Successful town centres — developing effective strategies’.
Shanaaz Carroll is Chief Executive (Acting) of the Association of Town and City Management. Prior to her current appointment she spent over 20 years working within economic development and regeneration in the public sector. Shanaaz has worked for local, regional and the UK government on economic policy, regeneration, business and enterprise programmes and private sector engagement where she developed significant networks with a range of organisations.
