Time to Stop Comparing Apples and Pears?

Apple...or pear...who cares?
(Photo: Wikipedia)

Which do you think is better, London or Brighton?  Well, for me they both have unique strengths and attractions, so it’s bit like comparing apples and pears.  Sometimes you feel like a pear and sometimes you feel like an apple, and the same goes for shopping, cultural and leisure experiences; one day you might want the bright lights of the big city with its megastores, and another you might like to have fun by the sea browsing through quirky independent shops.  The beauty of this diversity of experience is it means that both places can survive and thrive in different locations and different market niches. 

So, why oh why in South Wales do we pour so much energy into comparing our towns and cities with each other?  Competitiveness is one thing when it comes to sporting prowess, but in business there are different factors at play – and here in Wales it sometimes seems to me that we are creating a problem for ourselves by trying to out-do one another or making negative comparisons when there may be far greater benefits for all in projecting a united front to the world when promoting the diverse offerings in our towns and cities. 

Recent media interest in the number of major retailers moving out of smaller towns shouldn’t ring alarm bells for us.  We have a fantastic chain-store retail offering in Cardiff – but our other towns and cities have other charms with which to attract visitors.  Swansea is a city by the sea with a lifestyle to match – strong independent retailers and a market culture that’s second to none.  We have a great deal to offer in this city so let’s focus on what we’re good at instead of trying to compete with our neighbours.

So, returning to my original question (London or Brighton?), I’d say they are simply two different places that offer different things to their residents and visitors.  They don’t need to compete, and together they make the South East of England more attractive to a wider variety of people.  Likewise, if Wales can identify the unique strengths of each of its urban and rural centres and focus on presenting Wales as the fantastically rich cultural, natural and economic environment that it is, we may just find we can attract enough business for everyone…