This thesis investigates shopping behaviour, the incidence of crime and shoppers' perceptions of risk in Cardiff city centre, and the way in which they impact upon retail vitality and viability. As perceptions of risk influence spatial and temporal behaviour, the thesis investigates factors which shape shoppers' perceptions. A diverse array of methods was adopted to explore shopper behaviour, the incidence of crime and shoppers' perceptions of risk in Cardiff city centre. These included an extensive on-street questionnaire survey, an audit of the Police crime data for 1993, an environmental audit, and a series of in-depth interviews with Police, Planners and shoppers. Within Cardiff city centre, shopping activity was found to be concentrated within a clearly defined area, incorporating Queen Street and the St David's Centre. A micro-spatial analysis of shopping behaviour identified areas which were either functionally or spatially peripheral. As crime was deemed to influence shoppers' perceptions of risk, mapping of the various crime types within the retail core was undertaken, through the use of Crime Pattern Analysis. The spatial and temporal patterns of crime were found to be associated with features of the environment. Crime hot spots, experiencing high levels of activity were defined. Clusters of perceived insecurity within the retail core were identified with the Central Bus Station, Caroline Street and St Mary Street emerging as fear 'hot spots'. However, these islands of insecurity did not closely reflect the crime patterns. Stronger similarities were, however, found between fear and the spatial location of experience of crime, reinforced by the condition of the environment. Perceptions of risk were seen as the result of a complex inter-play of personal, external and environmental factors.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:638312 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Nelson, A. L. |
| Publisher | Swansea University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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