Wednesday 5 October – Ely – Atcham

I set out early and my first stop (after buying more petrol in Ely) was March. March is a small town on the edge of the fens – including the fabulously named Pidley Fen. I wondered how it would be - if bigger towns were badly hit how would it be for the small towns? It seemed to be in relatively better shape than Grantham. I think perhaps small towns have found a balance away from the big brands and retail chains. The stalwarts (WH Smith, Boots, Greggs, SpecSavers)are there but otherwise most of the businesses are small local businesses. Perhaps this is the transition that some of the larger towns are going through. It seems as if many of the small towns have struggled to attract the attention of the chains for decades and have found their own balance; a balance that is closer to the high street of the past.

Then I went on to Peterborough which seemed the complete opposite of March. Much bigger and the roads seemed designed to sweep me into the shopping centre. A big John Lewis and Waitrose - the healing balm of the middle classes. Here the national chains are present. But even here there are lots of empty shops. Some in the main part of the shopping centre and getting worse as you get to the edge of the shops. Money has been spent on the town centre - the Cathedral looking scenic and a shift in mood from the standard shopping centre. The market was busy with shoppers and buyers. A lot of the time, although there are plenty of shoppers, there are far fewer buyers. The reduced rails are where people cluster, seeming to need a bargain to justify their spending. But still keen to be out and about and socialising. The coffee shops seem to be doing better business than many of their street mates. I wonder how many chains will disappear, or recede to the large towns in the next few years. Peterborough is being hit by rising rail fares. Lots of people chose to live here and commute into London, but the cost of travel is changing minds. And that means less money to spend. It seems pretty cheery at the moment but it’s always difficult to tell what is going on behind the scenes.

I’m heading across the country and so next I go to Kettering – which I passed while heading north and it seemed an interesting town. It’s obviously been hit by the downturn and there are lots of empty shops, but it’s also obvious that the local council are trying to encourage businesses and customers. Lots of work has been done in re-paving the market place. The market place is on Twitter. There is a space for music. But it seems to be in transition. It seems to be moving to the local business model and away from the national chains. But whilst it is obvious that there are economic hard times, it is by no means depressed. People are out and about and socialising – there is plenty of laughter and people enjoying themselves.

Leicester has a cultural quarter – which usually signals a desire to regenerate and so it is. The cultural quarter has a smart new building called Curve for entertainment. Some of the old lofts have been re-modelled as luxury apartments and a few bars and restaurants. And for the privilege of being in a cultural quarter, parking fees that seem to be closer to London prices than Leicester. But if the cultural quarter lacks character, the market is great. Full of life and people and very fine fruit and veg.