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New
report exposes social types of the future
COLLEEN and
Victoria face tough competition as a new breed of Brits, the
Bricklayers' Wives, bring their own blend of glamour to a
neighbourhood near you. These new age WAGs, characterised by a
life of luxury funded by a tradesmen hubby, join 5 other new social
types set to expand to 22 million by 2017 according to the Local
Life report by high street supermarket, Somerfield.
Clad in designer gear with cash to spend, the Bricklayers' Wives
will be bringing the high life to the high streets of Hillingdon,
Bracknell Forest and Three Rivers. This group, who models itself on
Posh and co, is expected to blow up by 2017 with 5 times as many
women (5%) hoping to meet a tradesman and live luxuriously ever
after.
Other groups expected to surface are the Urban Farmers - city-folk
who more resemble Alan Titchmarsh than Alan Sugar - and the Young
Fogeys, a generation of youthful Londoners whose behaviour verges on
middle-aged. Typified by 4x4 driving and Country Life reading
in the city, Urban Farmers find home in such busy suburbs as
Richmond, Barnet and Kingston. With a growing fondness for
organic produce, country cuisine and long walks within Britain's
cityscapes, 22% of people hope to become Urban Farmers in the next
10 years.
Renouncing night clubs for Radio Four and trendy bars for
traditional pubs, Young Fogeys currently account for 10% of
20-somethings in the UK and is set to grow with a further 17% hoping
to join them in 10 years' time. Characterised by a love for real
ale, Good Housekeeping and comfort over style, this group is found
predominantly in London suburbs.
Offices could be emptying out over the next 10 years as the number
of Brits escaping to rural hideaways will triple due to the World
Wide Web. With countryside and motorways in good supply, South
Cambridgeshire, Aylesbury Vale and South Oxfordshire will become key
homes for Virtual Villagers. And while the Virtual
Villagers escape stuffy urban offices for a rural idyll, the
Transient 20s, in contrast, a group of constant flat and job-hoppers
will snub settling down entirely and opt instead for travel and
adventure. Driven by a desire for change and new challenges,
the Transient 20s, currently 7%, completely reject job and home
security. Hackney, Manchester and Brighton are just some of the
areas facing a flood of these 20-somethings over the next 10 years
as the number expected to join this group rises from 4% to 9%.
Finally, the report also predicts an upsurge in the super-race of
over 65s, labelled The Unstoppables, who simply refuse to cease
partying. Fond of clubbing, evening classes, gigs and eating
out, a further 18% hope to join the merry band of Unstoppables by
2017, and these elderly thrill-seekers are most likely to be found
in Arun, New Forest and Flyde.
Pete Williams, head of press and PR at Somerfield, said:-
"Already we are seeing massive changes in the communities we operate
in - Urban Farmers want their veg with the dirt still on while
Bricklayers' Wives demand truffles and Champagne in trendy packaging
for sheer luxury. With community types ever-changing, it is
important for the high street to continue evolving - and the local
supermarket is one of the few places where you'll find all types
under the one roof. Be it Victoria Brick-hams or the Youngest of
Fogeys, by 2017 the average British neighbourhood will be a far cry
from what we see today." |
City On Path to Improve Pavements
LIVERPOOL’S
footways are set to receive a £1.3m boost over the next 3 years-more
than doubling the amount currently spent on them. The funding
-which will be aimed at bringing the poorest pavements up to
standard – is part of a Local Public Service Agreement between the
City Council and the Government to improve services.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Department for Transport will
provide funding for footway improvements if targets are met.
The Council’s Executive Board is being asked to authorise borrowing
for the works, which will be refunded if targets are achieved.
It is intended to improve an extra 57,000 square metres of footways
across the city. This is in addition to the four kilometres per year
which have been improved over the past three years. Currently the
city spends £350,000 a year on this work. The city has about 2,275km
of footway to maintain in total.
Work will take place throughout the city and a programme where
improvements will be prioritised is being drawn up. Recycled
material will be used wherever possible and appropriate materials
will be used in conservation areas.
Cllr Peter Millea, Executive Member for Regeneration and Transport,
said:- “We have made a lot of improvements in the last few
years on the state of our footways. However we have still some
way to go before we match other cities’ performance and this
additional funding can make a real impact in bringing our footways
up to an acceptable standard.”
This issue will be considered by the Executive Board on 19 January
2007.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:- "Innovative system of parking."
"Your readers may like to know about a new and innovative system of
parking which provides affordable, penalty-free and secure spaces
around public venues in Southport by enabling property-owners with
empty driveways, garages and car parks to rent them out to drivers
needing somewhere to park.
Motorists on their way to Haig Avenue for example, can make an
arrangement with a homeowner to use his or her driveway on a one-off
or regular, short-term or long-term basis. With penalty
notices landing on windscreens at a record rate and so-called ‘parking
rage’ causing fights between drivers, a service which makes
parking that bit less costly, restricted and stressful and which
improves access to public places, is being encouraged.
ParkatmyHouse.com was founded by 23 year old Anthony Eskinazi whilst
on holiday in San Francisco and has been developed by Anthony and
childhood friend, Katie Harvey, also 23.
Since the service launched just over 3 months ago and
has featured on BBC radio stations, in nearly all the national
newspapers including The Times, The Daily Express and The Observer
and in an array of international media.
By reducing on-street parking, the service will help ease traffic
congestion, thereby making the roads safer for cyclists and
pedestrians and more accessible for public transport and emergency
vehicles. It will also cut down the amount of carbon emitted by
vehicles circumnavigating areas in search of a parking space. And by
improving parking around major public transport hubs, will encourage people to use their cars for part
of their journey only and the train, tube or bus for the remainder
of it." Kind regards, Katie Harvey. |
