Tma01

In this assignment I will be focusing on what I have learnt about inequalities on the high street, in this instance I will be using City Road in Cardiff as an example.   Inequality refers to unequal distribution of valued resources within a society or between societies (Learning Companion 1, p.   24).

City Road was originally a country lane 200 years ago. During most of the 20th Century it was host to local tradesmen and small businesses. By the 1960’s the lane had been dominated by car showrooms and in the current set up there are predominantly restaurants and takeaways (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, scene 1).

The many take away shops and restaurants are geared towards students and ethnic minorities within the area (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, scene 1). It could be argued that this is an inequality of City Road as many of these businesses appear to market themselves with certain client groups in mind, therefore excluding others. Equally, the rise in the food trade has increased the incorrect disposal of cooking fat, with some staff opting to pour it down drains (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, scene 4). This method requires extra work for sewage workers to clear up the mess, therefore using resources for something which could be avoided.   This will impact the community as there are financial implications for the clear up which could be used to aid community projects.

When guide Lloyd Robson meets local traders to talk with them more inequalities become apparent.   Local newsagent Colin Buttwell received a knock to his business when chain supermarket Tesco set up 2 blocks away from him. Colin also mentions how another local newsagents was put out of business by a Spar store moving in next door to them (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, scene 3). The introduction of these chain supermarkets will have had a varied impact on the community – for local newsagents it will be a negative influence due to a loss of profit,...