Inequality is defined as “the unequal distribution of valued social resources within a society or between societies” (Blakeley et al., 2013, p.24). This essay will aim to describe a few of the inequalities that were observed on City Road.
City Road started life off as a country lane over two hundred years ago and it was mainly used by tradesmen and occupied by small businesses. In the 1960s it became dominated by car showrooms but in the present time it is mainly taken up by takeaways and restaurants which are aimed at students and the various ethnic minorities residing in the area.
Looking at City Road and how it is used in present day, one of the more obvious inequalities observed from the DVD is the Mackintosh Centre and how it is used. This building was previously owned by the Mackintosh family who owned the surrounding land but now however, it is used as a sports facility. The head coach there mentions in his interview that the main users of the sports club are people who are from outside the City Road area. He goes on to say that the main users of the club are people from outside the City Road area and that he thinks the reason for this is because the locals seem to have a perception of the club as being exclusive and therefore pricey and as a result they choose not to participate in the activities there. This perception is of course unfounded but it leads to an inequality as local people from the area who are maybe on lower incomes are unable to use the facility and therefore unable to benefit from it. Another reason for this perception of exclusivity is potentially the fact that on Saturday mornings the club is the site of the local farmers market. Farmers markets are usually perceived to cater to a specific demographic - people with above average incomes who don’t mind spending more to ensure the quality of the food they buy. This concept might not be completely founded but it again feeds into this perception of the unattainable which in turn feeds...