Decentralisation - Bluewater

Question 1

Where is Bluewater located?

Answer 1

• Bluewater is an out-of-town shopping centre situated in Kent in southeast England
• It is situated on a former brownfield land Ana 240 acre plot in a former chalk quarry

Question 2

When was Bluewater opened?

Answer 2

1999

Question 3

What are two anchor stores in Bluewater?

Answer 3

M&S and House of Fraser

Question 4

What were the causes of retailing decentralisation?

Answer 4

• Increased mobility
• Competitiveness
• Time pressure and the emancipation of women
• The shopping ‘experience’
• Suburbanisation and counter urbanisation

Question 5

Why are shoppers discouraged from high streets?

Answer 5

• Lack of indoor shopping areas
• Boarded up shops
• High parking charges and congestion
• Litter and unattractive environment
• Lack of chain stores

Question 6

What were some advantages of Bluewater?

Answer 6

• Employs 7,000 workers and serves 27 million visitors per year
• 22,000 jobs were created
• Different types of leisure facilities
• 20 hectares of lakes, parkland and playground

Question 7

What are some disadvantages of Bluewater?

Answer 7

• In Dartford and Gravesend there are more shops closed than are still in business
• Dartford experienced a 25% drop in employment
• 50% of shops in Dartford are closed
• Elderly people who can’t access transportation to Bluewater have struggled due to many of the local convenience stores being closed