The decline of Princes Street and Sauchiehall Street is no isolated Scottish tragedy; it's a pattern replicated across the UK and beyond. Why? In Part Two Charlie Ellis seeks answers beyond the market. Structural Explanations for High Street Decline Andrew Neil’s market-focused prescription [in Part One] is widely contested. Many commentators and academics point to deeper … [Read more...] about ‘A shambles and a disgrace’ – saving Scotland’s High Streets will take more than the market (Part 2)
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‘A shambles and a disgrace’ – why have Scotland’s high streets declined? (Part 1)
Andrew Neil blames a "national scandal" of local government failure and incompetence, others argue the rot goes much deeper. In a two-part series for Sceptical Scot, Charlie Ellis explores a complicated landscape: “not just a story of bad councils, it's a collision between old-school market beliefs in a modern world of hollowed-out authorities and changing global shopping … [Read more...] about ‘A shambles and a disgrace’ – why have Scotland’s high streets declined? (Part 1)
What are we stumbling into? Reasons for hope and fear again.
This post, inspired by the Stolpersteins ('stumbling stones') of Amsterdam, attracted some surprising (to me) comments when it was first published in April 2019. I am reposting now for two reasons. Fear of 'the other' has grown – in Scotland as elsewhere. But, more hopefully, '"Scotland’s first Stolperstein was unveiled in Edinburgh on the pavement outside the former St … [Read more...] about What are we stumbling into? Reasons for hope and fear again.
The rise of fascism and why the churches must speak out
Then they came for meAnd there was no one leftTo speak out for meAs an elder in the Church of Scotland, Tim Bell calls on churches of all denominations to 'become part of the resistance' against the rise of the far right.Alarm bells are ringing all over western democracies.Neo-fascism is gaining ground and is becoming normalised. Little doubt remains that there … [Read more...] about The rise of fascism and why the churches must speak out
UK Budget 2025? Get real. The world has changed
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) put is it as well as anyone. “Today’s Budget locks in a high-tax, high-debt steady state in a world of low productivity growth and higher interest rates. Even the historically large tax share of GDP now planned is only just enough to stabilise – not reduce – a debt ratio stuck around 100 per cent of GDP for the … [Read more...] about UK Budget 2025? Get real. The world has changed