- Elliot Bourne
Individual Interpretation
Evening Social Spaces and Retail
A common topic amongst varying age groups during the event was the lack of evening social spaces i.e. restaurants, bars clubs. There is clearly a demand in Stretford for this kind of space and many people travel to Chorlton for it. Although there is a large mall in Stretford many people seemed dissatisfied with the variety of shops, their quality, opening hours and their format (within a mall).
Very few Elderly people attended the event however the proportion in the main social space in Stretford (the mall) is very large. The people we spoke to were very negative about the mall and I wondered how this disparity existed. One lady enlightened me, interrupting her husband talking about his disdain for the mall, (and how he wished there was a normative town centre instead). The lady explained that the mall created an undercover social space and this was something the elderly loved and needed. However younger adults want something more.
Intergenerational Social Spaces
The community in Stretford is clearly strong however as always there are groups with voices less heard than others. This was brought up at the event by several people I asked to speak on the topic Following from the last paragraph also, my goal is to create a space that allows participation of all social groups. Encouraging conversation between them. A true community space.
Community Co-Operation
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