The experience economy in UK city centres: a multidimensional and interconnected response to the 'death of the high street'?

White, J. T. , Hickie, J., Orr, A. , Jackson, C. and Richardson, R. (2023) The experience economy in UK city centres: a multidimensional and interconnected response to the 'death of the high street'? Urban Studies, 60(10), pp. 1833-1852. (doi: 10.1177/00420980221143043)

Abstract

Since the 1990s the UK’s city centre high streets have been losing market share to out-of-town shopping and e-retailing. The shocks of the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19 have hastened this and precipitated widespread store closures. The experience economy is increasingly promoted as a means to avert the ‘death of the high street’, and this prompts our study of its evolution. An exploration of the literature reveals the experience economy to be an interconnected phenomenon focused on the creation of a memorable event that elicits a sensory response via multi-dimensional innovation and design. Using this to guide our empirical work, we undertake a comparative mixed method longitudinal case study of five UK city centres. We initially chart the changing manifestations of experience uses before analysing supporting interviews and observations that reveal three interconnected layers of the experience economy: in-store commercial experiences; leisure and entertainment-orientated adaptations to shopping centres and department stores; and the wider regeneration of the public realm. Implications for city centre management are discussed.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: White, Professor James and Richardson, Dr Robert and Orr, Dr Allison
• Authors: White, J. T., Hickie, J., Orr, A., Jackson, C., and Richardson, R.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies; College of Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Urban Studies
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 0042-0980
• ISSN (Online): 1360-063X
• Published Online: 31 January 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 Urban Studies Journal Limited
• First Published: First published in Urban Studies 60(10):1833-1852
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license
• Data DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-855977

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
300058		Real Estates Adaptation and Innovation within an Integrated Retailing System	Allison Orr	Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)	ES/R005117/1	S&PS - Urban Studies