ABSTRACT

This chapter elaborates the view that in a global urban hierarchy characterised by intense competition, cities are promoted and sold not simply as centres of economic growth but as culturally rich places in which to live and work, where the quality and quantity of consumption opportunities are crucial elements in generating competitive urban conditions. The chapter will argue that central to cities’ attempts to move away from a dominance of industrial production to a post-industrial economy has been the development of political and economic activity that renders invisible the industrial past, as well as a cultural and creative economy which enhances a city’s liveability. This chapter will critique the seemingly ubiquitous presence of consumption-led urban regeneration initiatives and their implications for cities throughout the urban hierarchy.