Hosting a sustainable visitor economy: Lessons from the regeneration of London's 'Banglatown'

Abstract

In London, as in other large cities in OECD countries where immigrants have settled, ethnic minority entrepreneurs have successfully traded upon the appeal of particular streets as 'exotic' places of leisure and entertainment for high-spending visitors, especially through restaurants, bars, street markets, festivals and other events. In the case of Brick Lane in London's historic East End, Bangladeshi restaurateurs have stimulated the rejuvenation of a long-neglected inner-city street whose name was more commonly associated with a declining textile trade, the severe poverty of immigrant communities and recurring inter-racial tensions. Over the past decade, a fast-developing visitor economy has been supported by public investment, especially in infrastructure to accommodate an influx of visitors, and place-promotion to raise its profile as an asset to London's tourism offering. The underpinning philosophy of this self-proclaimed 'new model of regeneration' has been the creation of wealth — as opposed to ongoing subsidy — driven by local entrepreneurs who capitalise on the sustainable competitive advantages of an inner urban location, exploiting market opportunities through improved connectivity with more affluent areas of the city. In this case, the strategy required a significant upgrade of pedestrian links and an attractive street environment where high-spending customers would feel safe, especially after dark. Intervention to nurture leisure and tourism can help diversify and strengthen the local economy, generate employment and raise confidence in inner-city areas where low self-esteem has for many years been reinforced by the negative perceptions of outsiders. There may, however, be understandable fears that an increasing number of visitors will intrude upon the everyday activities of local residents and disrupt the operation of businesses in other sectors. In this example, in the early 2000s, opinions polarised over a proposal to pedestrianise the street and accommodate further expansion of the restaurant trade. The paper examines the underlying causes of bitter local opposition. This leads to discussion of how objections were addressed and design solutions developed through an innovative two-year programme of engagement and consultation, as representatives of the area's diverse communities became actively involved in shaping proposals to improve the pedestrian environment by means other than closure of the street to vehicles (scheme implemented 2002–2006).