Merry Hill Case Study cards for OCR June 2012 Exam

Location:

• West Midlands
• 10km West of Birmingham
• 4km South of Dudley
• Edge of Town on A461
• Accessible via the M5, M6 and M54
• Brownfield Site (Old Steel Works)
• Built in 1985

Features:

• 236 Shops all under one roof.
• 10, 000 free parking spaces (and a coach park)
• Large Food Hall
• High order - shopping/comparison goods, specialist stores, consumer durables and low order convenience.
• Magnet Stores and High End Chain Stores
• Extensive Catchment Area
• Many People attracted. (Families/Disabled/Those far away)
• Disabled access
• Attracts major shops (M & S, BHS)
• Near good motorways (Good for Lorries and Customers)
• Indoor - Protected from Weather
• Cinema, Play Area and Restaurants (Good for Families)
• CCTV and guards for shoppers safety

Disadvantages:

• Dudley
• Loss of Choice, Range and Quality of Goods and Services
• Major Shops attracted away
• Only Poor and Elderly Still Shop in Dudley (Too Far)
• Merry Hill wrongly promised Dudley would benefit.
• Many jobs lost from these shops
• More empty shops - attract vandals, crime increase
• Economic Decline
• More traffic on motorways so air and noise pollution
• Noise, Air and Visual pollution during construction
• Flora and Fauna habitats destroyed to make way for centre
• Longer travelling distance - more petrol and traffic.
• Landscape ruined
• Elderly and Poor struggle to buy necessary goods
• Net job loss (Including those from town centre shops)
• Local Businesses shut down.

Advantages:

• Job creation (5000 total but only 1200 at previous steel works)
• 50000 shoppers on weekdays, 72000 on weekends
• Environmental Improvement
• Attracts tourists bringing money into the local economy
• Safe, pleasurable shopping environment with a good range of shops
• Job opportunities for local people
• Leisure outlets, restaurants and play areas, great for all
• Fitted with Air Conditioning, Heating and Soft Furnishings
• Easy Access by Train, Car or Bus

How Dudley is Fighting Back:

• Planners controlling growth of Out-of-town to save town centres
• Zoos, Castles and (Charity) Events to attract tourists
• Build in town shopping centres
• Introduce specialist shops and services
• Farmers Markets
• Cafes
• Other Opportunities