Leigh Sparks

@sparksstirling.bsky.social

550 followers 1K following 190 posts

Professor of Retail Studies, University of Stirling, Chair Scotland's Towns Partnership, Fellow Royal Society of Edinburgh, Extremely long-suffering Welsh rugby fan, occasional gardener.

Stirlingretail.com

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Business 69%

Economics 13%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 41m

Looking forward to speaking at the SGF cross party group in Scottish Parliament tonight (11th), on costs and value of convenience stores.

Summary of what I say and the slides will be up on stirlingretail.com by about 1745 tonight

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 47m

This is not a one month thing, it has been sustained.

Their own data did not support the headline and framing. If I can see that, then others will also, and draw their conclusions accordingly.

Then what @grahamsoult.bsky.social says is so true. Relentless negativity so damaging.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Graham Soult FIPM @grahamsoult.bsky.social · 55m

Excellent! As I have said many times before, I just don't understand why the BRC doesn't do more to say how fantastic retail is, alongside its campaigning messages. It portrays retail as a cheerless industry no young person would want to start a career in, which is totally not the reality.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Graham Soult FIPM @grahamsoult.bsky.social · 1h

I'm glad you posted these remarks to save me having to do so, Leigh! The HIghStreetPositives campaign also has survey data showing that when you bombard people with negative "high street" headlines - even when unjustified - it helps create the very problem you are supposedly trying to mitigate.

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 12h

My basic point is stop conflating high street and retailing as a whole. And don't always go to the negative stories.

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 14h

Not really my point. The BRC data show high street footfall up by 0.7% but the article and the headline (especially) is designed not to tell you that.

Whether the data from varying sources differ is a different thing. It os the pushing of a narrative despite the data that riles me here

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 17h

Interesting headline given that high street footfall INCREASED by 0.6% according to the report.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 17h

🚨The SNP have seized control of Stirling Council, ousting Scottish Labour from power in the city

More here: www.thenational.scot/news/2...

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

HG Rugby @huwgriffinrugby.bsky.social · 17h

Under Gatland, Wales’ attack came under heavy criticism for being incredibly deep

Here, under totally different coaches, the problem persists: Wales spend 2 and a half mins getting up to the 10m line then taking themselves back over half way

Arg then win turnover and score in 30 seconds

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Steve Peers, Tim Bale , and 1 more Ben H. Ansell, Steve Peers, Tim Bale, Leigh Sparks

Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 18h

Michael Prescott's report makes vital points about the importance of being accurate, and also how difficult that is. For instance, he describes himself as having been Political Editor of the Sunday Times for 10 years, which is not what the Guardian reported when he left the job.

Prescott's BBC memo, saying "I served as the Political Editor of the Sunday Times for 10 years".

Prescott's LinkedIn page, saying he was Political Editor of the Sunday Times for 10 years.

A 2001 Guardian story saying he was leaving his job as Political Editor after four years. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/jun/28/pressandpublishing.marketingandpr

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

This Is My Glasgow @thisismyglasgow.bsky.social · 1d

Designed by the architect John Baird and the Iron Founder R. McConnel, it was built in 1855. This makes it the oldest surviving building in the UK with a fully cast-iron facade

#glasgow #architecture #castiron #jamaicastreet #architecturephotography #nightphotography #glasgowatnight

Reposted by Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Jonathan Hopkin , and 1 more Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Jonathan Hopkin, Molly Scott Cato

Ed Davey @eddavey.libdems.org.uk · 1d

I had my disagreements with the BBC under Tim Davie but he was a decent man doing a difficult job.

To see Trump's White House claiming credit for his downfall and attacking the BBC should worry us all.

A social media post by Karoline Leavitt (The White House Press Secretary) showing two news headlines side-by-side. The left headline, under a caption that reads "Shot" reads: "Trump goes to war with 'fake news' BBC," and the right headline under a caption that reads "Chaser" reads: "Tim Davie resigns as BBC director general over Trump documentary edit."

Reposted by Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Mary Corcoran , and 6 more Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Mary Corcoran, John Foot, Michelle Everson, Michael Morris, Michael H. Whitworth, Mark Priestley, Stuart White

Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 1d

the right winger who was appointed to lead the BBC in the hope of appeasing right wingers has been driven out by right wingers for not appeasing right wingers enough and the BBC has the chance to do the funniest thing ever

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott , and 2 more Richard S.J. Tol, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott, Leigh Sparks, Pam Jarvis

The i Paper @theipaper.com · 1d

🔴 Breaking I Davie faced mounting criticism that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump

➡️ Read more: trib.al/I0iw7aP

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 1d

They've targeted Murray very successfully

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 1d

When are people going to start talking about the clear cognitive decline of the president?

Sahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · 1d

With a “WOW!,” President Trump posts a claim about DOGE and “royalties linked to Obamacare” that originated on a satirical website. That site’s own About section reads: “Everything on this website is fiction… If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined.”

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Will Jennings, Steve Peers , and 9 more Anne Applebaum, Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, David Rothschild, David S. Cohen, Aaron Sojourner, Scott A. Imberman, Michael D. McDonald, Christina Pagel, Daxton R. Stewart, David Darmofal

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 1d

So the oldest person ever to become president keeps falling asleep in his office during public events and there’s no big public discussion on how this is a coverup or how republicans are lying to us about how this government is running?

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 1d

And the harm keeps on coming

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Plant importers say border delays in Kent could drive up prices and stop deliveries from EU

Traders report long waits at Sevington inspection post and claim trees and shrubs are repeatedly being damaged

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Steve Peers, Tim Bale , and 2 more Jonathan Portes, Steve Peers, Tim Bale, Leigh Sparks, Jonathan Hopkin

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 2d

The BBC is apologising for its Panorama edit. It shouldn’t. First, the narrative is true: Donald Trump *did* incite the Capitol riot. Second, the apology won’t appease those attacking it. So why not at least stand for something?

Wrote this on it earlier this week:
inews.co.uk/news/world/b...

The BBC was right about the Capitol riots. In a sane world, Trump would be in jail

The US President faced impeachment over the violence, and in a world where Republicans had more courage, he would have been found guilty

inews.co.uk

Reposted by Will Jennings, Leigh Sparks

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2d

Grandpa is nodding off in the recliner again (aka the man with the nuclear codes)

JM Rieger @riegerreport.bsky.social · 2d

During an event on Thursday, Donald Trump seemed to repeatedly struggle to keep his eyes open.

A Washington Post analysis of multiple video feeds found that Trump spent roughly 20 minutes battling to keep his eyes open.

New video w/ @ddiamond.bsky.social

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2d

Revealed: The billion-pound PPE contractor with a Tory MP on site

Special report: Uniserve was paid £1.4bn for Covid contracts that included supply of £178.5m in never-used equipment When Mrs Justice Cockerill handed down her judgment in the high court against PPE Medpro, the company linked to the Conservative peer Michelle Mone, for supplying unsafe personal protective equipment during the pandemic, her findings were a landmark in a five-year saga that cast the opaque world of government deal making into stark light. PPE Medpro was ordered to refund the full £122m that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) paid for unusable gowns in the summer of 2020, as Boris Johnson’s government scrambled to refill the UK’s depleted stocks. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 2d

Really interesting piece. Thanks for posting.

House Historian @househistorian.bsky.social · 3d

Today’s #househistory feature in Bricks & Mortar in The Times is a fantastic historic home in Wiltshire! 😀 #househistories #history #Wiltshire

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 3d

The government has STILL not cleared out the highly partisan decision-makers imposed on the BBC by the Tories. Starmer and co are so amazingly spineless and feeble.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Boris Johnson trying to undermine BBC leadership, insiders fear after leak

Director general under pressure after release of memo criticising reporting on Trump, trans rights and Gaza

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 3d

A question about Joey Barton's case

How much does X pay him?

Were the specific posts for which he was convicted monetised?

If so, what happens to his income for criminal posts?

Are there any sanctions for a platform which rewards (and so v likely incentivises) aggressive criminal posts?

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 3d

That WW2 veteran who says that winning the war "wasn't worth it" for the state we are now in is just plain wrong.

Naziism was an evil that caused the deaths of millions and the systematic murder of millions more. Defeating it was necessary.

We need to stop treating every old person as a holy sage.

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 3d

Especially when he says 40 years - stuck in 2012?

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 3d

"The governing body have been damned as institutionally dysfunctional, sexist, racist and homophobic"

Add financially incompetent to that list and then rule out

"The union want to take on full control of regional rugby"

We are overstretched and underfunded because of the WRU not in spite of them.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Power to Change @powertochange.org.uk · 3d

🚗 Yesterday, our Bristol team took a trip up the road to visit Ambition Lawrence Weston, a resident-led org taking action in one of Bristol’s most deprived suburbs. From their early days rallying to secure an affordable supermarket, aided by Big Local funds, they've grown into a force for change.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

House Historian @househistorian.bsky.social · 3d

Today’s #househistory feature in Bricks & Mortar in The Times is a fantastic historic home in Wiltshire! 😀 #househistories #history #Wiltshire

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