Depressing reading but.....

.... this new addition to the LRC in Luton looks relevant to most business assignments about the decline of the High Street or the economy of the UK in general.

Plenty of statistics are included, and would probably look impressive in a reference list or bibliography if used correctly to back up your arguments.

Dorling, D & Thomas, B. (2011) Bankrupt Britain : an atlas of social change. Bristol : Policy

Gaming.... a serious business

I was thinking the other day about the AMP topic 'Gaming is a serious business' which often crops up at this time of year.

It seems to me that it is very important to define what you think this question means before attempting to answer it.

Gaming ( Computer gaming ) is  a serious business in terms of the economy or number of participants. You will need to find some statistics to support this.

The world serious however has another meaning involving being the opposite of lighthearted or fun. Many dictionaries on Credo Reference stress this element.

Considering this second aspect you may consider the amount of games which are not played for fun ( maybe military, educational  business simulations ? )


Think too about your search terms, because the word 'gaming' sometimes means gambling or online betting.

More bad news for the High Street...

A recent report from Retail Research warns of more High Street closures in the forthcoming months.

In Luton and Bedford this has meant empty shops where once stood :

• Blockbuster
• Jessops
• HMV

In better news Dixons has recently reported increased profits. Factors for their success appear to include

• Sale of tablets
• Collapse of rivals such as Comet and Jessops

Both these stories widely reported in the press recently. For more information consult databases FAME ( for financial data ) and Newsbank ( for commentary )

Recession on the High Street - Portas Towns

It is now a year since Mary Portas launched the government pilot scheme to revive the UK High Street.

12 towns were given an equal share of £1.2 to create more prosperous and diverse high streets.

Unfortunately in ten towns from this list more shops have closed than opened.

In total research shows that 700 units closed, and fewer than 600 opened in their place

Only two towns of the Portas 12 , Bedminster and Margate, added any shops. Research on this project was carried out by the Local Data Company, and has been widely reported in the UK Press this week. For more information try our Newsbank database.