Oscar Selby
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oscarselby.bsky.social
Oscar Selby
@oscarselby.bsky.social
Researcher @ Centre for Cities
Reposted by Oscar Selby
NEW PODCAST 🎙️

@andrewcities.bsky.social is joined by Researcher @oscarselby.bsky.social to explore why London’s suburban high streets are doing better than many of the UK’s high streets and city centres.

Listen to the podcast 🎧👇
buff.ly/9G60fFs
December 4, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The high street isn't doomed - just look at London!

Unlike some city centre's across the country London does not have an empty shops crisis, this is particularly true in its suburbs.

Its incomes - not business rates or online shopping - that explain why.

See the full report: tinyurl.com/yc8yxkp6
December 5, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Glasgow city region needs a Mayor!

The eight local authorities in the region function as one cohesive labour market with Glasgow at its core.

Aligning local powers with economic geography would help the city address its £7.3bn-a-year underperformance.

Check out the briefing: tinyurl.com/54ydrrj3
Let devolution flourish: How Glasgow spreads prosperity and why the City Region needs devolution - Centre for Cities
Glasgow is the only large city in the UK without devolution to a combined authority - it is up to the Scottish Government to deliver this.
www.centreforcities.org
December 3, 2025 at 12:11 PM
By analysing millions of card transactons we investigated why some UK high streets are succeeding while others are struggling.

Full report: tinyurl.com/msawaxz7

We found that high streets are a symptom of economic decline not a cause: there are more empty shops where incomes are lowest.
July 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Reposted by Oscar Selby
BRIEFING | The myth of “left behind”

❓How should government respond to the political discontent signalled by the vote to leave the European Union and the more recent rise of Reform UK?

buff.ly/g8K7EDQ 👇
April 29, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Peak time central London tube station tap out data indicates that the return-to-the-office has plateaued at 75% of pre covid levels, with the West end furthest behind.

Check out the full blog here: www.centreforcities.org/blog/tube-da...
April 15, 2025 at 11:38 AM
In this year's Cities Outlook we explore what drives regional wage inequality and show how the strength of a city's tradable sectors determines economic prosperity.

To read more and explore how UK cities have fared over the last year check out the report: www.centreforcities.org/publication/...
January 20, 2025 at 8:41 AM
When ULEZ was expanded back in 2023 some argued the policy would serve another blow to struggling high streets by prevent people going out to spend.

Using credit card transaction data, my recent blog for Centre for Cities reveals this was not the case.
www.centreforcities.org/blog/ulez-ex...
ULEZ expansion hasn’t hurt high street spending - Centre for Cities
Large scale credit card transaction data shows that the expansion of ULEZ in 2023 did not reduce demand for high street goods and services.
www.centreforcities.org
January 16, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Reposted by Oscar Selby
We don’t build very many public houses anymore. Want to find out what was going on when we did?

Lessons from the last 80 years of public housebuilding – the highs and the lows – are out in my new report with @xuanrulin.bsky.social for @centreforcities.bsky.social
December 3, 2024 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Oscar Selby
If (like me) this is your idea of fun, find this tool at the end this latest blog on visitor spend clusters by my colleague @oscarselby.bsky.social and have a play around! Also a good read on the concentration of visitor spend and its implications if tourist levies are to be enacted in England
Where visitor spend clusters within UK cities - Centre for Cities
Visitor spend is mostly in city centres. Understanding this fact, in combination with the few exceptions to this rule, will be key in the ongoing debate over tourism taxes.
www.centreforcities.org
November 28, 2024 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by Oscar Selby
NEW REPORT | Spending time: the role of the visitor economy in UK cities 🧳

This new report presents a comprehensive picture of domestic visitor spending in UK cities, which accounts for three quarters of all visitor spend nationally.

Read the report 👇
www.centreforcities.org/publication/...
Spending time: the role of the visitor economy in UK cities - Centre for Cities
This report, alongside our "Visitor economy data tool", provides a comprehensive picture of domestic visitor spending across the UK’s 63 largest cities for the first time, and sets out the ‘visitor of...
www.centreforcities.org
November 20, 2024 at 9:57 AM