1.3.9 Rebranding process in urban areas

Re-imaging and regenerating urban places

  • Urban areas can change in a variety of ways

    • Use of technology led enterprise to attract new investment and economic opportunities

    • Use of sport, art and culture to attract inward investment and external funding as well as create new spaces

    • Creation of sustainable cities such as Curitiba and Leicester

    • Improvements in the quality and range of retailing and the general shopping environment

    • Developing specialist areas such as cultural quarters and flagship attractions; also food cities. Marketing through heritage tourism

    • Encouraging re-urbanisation, such as through the redevelopment of warehouses

    • Improved public transport, such as trams, congestion charginG

    • Themed events, such as Christmas markets, specialist food fairs and multi-ethnic festivals

Methods of re-imaging urban areas

Method of re-imaging

Description

Promoting advantages for business

Advertising global links and potential lifestyle, for example Newport in south Wales promotes its good transport links, economically active workforce, lower staff costs sand rents than London, and its investment in digital connections making it a 'super-connected city'

Sport/music stadia

Improvements linked to a major sporting or cultural event, for example hosting the 2012 olympics became a catalyst for regeneration of run-down parts of the Lea valley in east london

Cultural quarters

Promoting culture, such as museums and theatres, to increase visitor numbers.

Parts of an urban area might provide a distinctive cultural background, which becomes and attraction, for example the Balti Triangle in Birmingham

Festivals

Events such as food festivals, Christmas markets or cultural events (such as the Edinburgh fringe festival) boost tourism numbers each year

Industrial heritage

Restoration of industrial areas attracts visitors (such as the museum of science and industry in Manchester) and/or the development of small craft industries

Flagship developments

A development encourages new businesses and tourist attractions, for example the Scottish event campus on the River Clyde in Glasgow

Re-imaging and regenerating urban places through external agencies

  • Different agencies can be involved in urban rebranding, including:

    • Government and local government- provide the impetus and finance for larger flagship developments

    • Corporate bodies — responsible for the implementation of a regeneration plan

    • Community groups — may be responsible for organising festivals

    • Local councils — may give backing to the rebranding theme and to festivals

The impact of urban re-imaging and regeneration

  • Increase in employment opportunities for individuals.

  • Individuals and/or businesses move to the regenerated parts of the urban area.

  • Areas become popular visitor destinations for tourists or inhabitants from other parts of the urban area.

  • The improved environment improves the quality of life for individuals.

  • The nature of the area changes to cater for visitors, limiting services for the resident population.