Guests Emma Casey and Katie Appleford discuss the impact of the MetroCentre shopping mall in Gateshead and the changing shopping habits of UK mothers post-COVID. They delve into the history of malls, consumer behavior shifts during the pandemic, and the future of shopping experiences.
The Metro Centre in Gateshead was promoted as a symbol of a shopping revolution by Margaret Thatcher, emphasizing choice and community focus.
The design of the Metro Centre reflected nostalgic narratives, creating a unique shopping environment with village-like quarters and European street scenes.
Deep dives
Emergence of the Metro Centre in Gateshead
The Metro Centre in Gateshead, built in 1986, emerged as the largest shopping mall in Europe, offering not only a variety of high street shops but also entertainment options like a cinema and a theme park. The government's support through the enterprise zone scheme enabled its construction. Margaret Thatcher actively promoted the mall as a symbol of a shopping revolution, emphasizing choice and a community focal point.
Impact of the Metro Centre's Design
The Metro Centre's design reflected nostalgic narratives with tree-lined boulevards, distinct stalls, and village-like quarters, creating a unique shopping environment. The industrial past was repackaged with a touch of European street scenes, evoking a sense of familiarity but devoid of the hustle and bustle found in real outdoor settings.
Shift in Consumer Ideology
The emergence of the Metro Centre coincided with a transformation in consumer ideology, especially emphasizing post-feminist consumer sensibilities. Women were positioned as key consumers, promised job opportunities and a safe shopping environment. The mall served as a space for gendered inclusion and redefined shopping experiences with childcare services and a focus on family-oriented leisure activities.
In 1986 in Gateshead the MetroCentre opened on the site of a former power station. Laurie Taylor talks to Emma Casey, Reader in Sociology at the University of York about a new study which charts the history and the impact of this mall which created space for more than 300 shops. They're joined by Katie Appleford, Senior Lecturer in Consumer Behaviour at University for the Creative Arts, London and researcher into UK mothers' shopping habits post-COVID. Has the promise of shopping, as represented by the Metro Centre, faltered in the wake of the pandemic?
Producer: Jayne Egerton
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