Lesson plan
Clone town
, Devon, in 2007. A 2005 survey rated Exeter as the best example of a clone town in the UK. Clone town is a term for a town where the High Street or other major shopping areas are significantly dominated by chain stores, thus making that town indistinct from other town centres. The term was coined by the New Economics Foundation (NEF), a British think tank, in the 2004 report on "Clone Town Britain". The report further elaborates the definition as follows: 'Clone towns' occur where 'the individuality of high street shops has been replaced by a monochrome strip of global and national chains' as opposed to 'Home Town' which is a 'place that retains its character and is individually recognizable and distinct to the people who live there, as well as those who visit '. A survey conducted by the NEF in 2005 estimated that 41% of towns in the UK and 48% of London villages could be considered clone towns, with the trend rising. Alternatively, a clone town can also be looked upon as a stage of growth of the retail market, i.e. from out-of-town retail parks and shopping centres to so-called clone towns dominated by chains.
Article summary
, Devon, in 2007. A 2005 survey rated Exeter as the best example of a clone town in the UK. Clone town is a term for a town where the High Street or other major shopping areas are significantly dominated by chain stores, thus making that town indistinct from other town centres. The term was coined by the New Economics Foundation (NEF), a British think tank, in the 2004 report on "Clone Town Britain". The report further elaborates the definition as follows: 'Clone towns' occur where 'the individuality of high street shops has been replaced by a monochrome strip of global and national chains' as opposed to 'Home Town' which is a 'place that retains its character and is individually recognizable and distinct to the people who live there, as well as those who visit '. A survey conducted by the NEF in 2005 estimated that 41% of towns in the UK and 48% of London villages could be considered clone towns, with the trend rising. Alternatively, a clone town can also be looked upon as a stage of growth of the retail market, i.e. from out-of-town retail parks and shopping centres to so-called clone towns dominated by chains.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.