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Candida Harris: Senior Lecturer in Law, Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
Peter Jones: Dean of the Business School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
David Hillier: Head of Geography, University of Glamorgan, Wales, UK
David Turner: Head of Research and Development, Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire, UK
Introduction
The continuing development and diversification of out-of-town and edge-of-town shopping developments (Fernie, 1995) is seen by many to pose a major challenge to the traditional retail activities in town and city centres and, more fundamentally, to the centres themselves. In response to this challenge, formal state regulation via physical and town planning policies have been seemingly tightened in an attempt to restrict further both out-of-town and edge-of-town retail investment and development (Department of the Environment, 1996). At the same time, town centre management initiatives have emerged as a more positive approach aimed initially at arresting and eventually reversing the perceived decline of traditional central shopping areas. Town centre management can be defined as a "carefully planned and co-ordinated programme of policies, actions and activities undertaken to maintain and enhance central shopping environments" (Jones, 1990). The initial impetus for town centre management emerged in the early 1980s (Guy, 1994) and the earliest schemes - for example in Coventry, Falkirk, Hatfield, Ilford and Reading - were established towards the end of that decade. By the mid- to late-1990s, such schemes were commonplace throughout much of the UK and the Association of Town Centre Managers had a large national membership.
A wide variety of initiatives has been pursued under the town centre management umbrella but they can usually be grouped under three general headings, viz: development; management; and promotion. In Rotherham, for example, four action areas were deemed vital to the foundation of the "town centre initiative". These involved "enhancing the town"; "promoting the town"; "looking after the town"; and "involving the people". In Rotherham, as in a large number of other towns and cities, the latter two action areas included a range of crime and nuisance prevention measures and during the 1990s closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance technology has become an increasingly important instrument in addressing these issues. This paper provides an outline of the introduction of CCTV systems into town and city centres in the UK, and...