Open air markets are as old as the market towns they spawned but in the modern world of 24 hour shopping, credit cards, super stores, sprawling multi shop malls and one stop shopping do they still have a place in the contemporary social landscape? Are continental and farmers markets the answer? What do shoppers traders and council have to say about the places they shop in, work in and control? This survey is the first comprehensive account of English markets as a social space. It investigates markets throughout the country and comes to some surprising conclusions about the role they play in...

Local urban high streets have frequently suffered from neglect in comparison to town centres and out-of-town retail. Yet they have the potential to meet contemporary policy aspirations with regard to sustainability, social inclusion and place making.Rediscovering mixed-use streets is the first in-depth investigation of local mixed-use high streets. Drawing on case-studies in three different locations in England, the report provides a wealth of data and findings produced from a variety of sources, both quantitative and qualitative. In particular, the report offers a comprehensive view of local...

Public spaces allow people to meet on ostensibly neutral ground, within the context of the whole community. Social interactions in urban public places draws on a unique study of nine public spaces within one English town viewed across a whole year, carried out by a large team of local observers working alongside academics. The report describes the use of green spaces, commercial and civic spaces, and local neighbourhoods; investigates interactivity within and between people of different age groups; highlights self-regulation as an essential element of the management of public spaces;...