Compare the shopping hierarchies of two different shops, both providing a contrasting shopping experience. The two shops in question are the local corner shop, on Northfields Avenue, at the corner of Julien Road, and the nearest Waitrose in West Ealing.

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Introduction

Why I am doing this project

 

For my GCSE geography coursework project, I have chosen to compare the shopping hierarchies of two different shops, both providing a contrasting shopping experience. The two shops in question are the local corner shop, on Northfields Avenue, at the corner of Julien Road, and the nearest Waitrose in West Ealing. I am doing this project because I am interested in how area, transport and economies of scale affect the way people shop; the different types of people that shop and the price of the goods they purchase. Once we have identified what these differences are, we can then move on to explain what this means on a national scale, and how shops can each be put into different levels on the shopping hierarchy.

The Area

Ealing is a leafy west London borough that encompasses Ealing Broadway, North Ealing, South Ealing, Acton, Hanwell, Greenford and Northholt. The borough has a population of 300,984 according to the 2001 national census.  

London Borough of Ealing

 

The borough of Ealing has borders with Hammersmith and Fulham, Brent, Hounslow, Harrow and Hillingdon.

London Boroughs Map

The two shops I have chosen for my GCSE Geography project are both situated in the borough of Ealing. The first, Waitrose, a major supermarket is located in West Ealing near the West Ealing mainline train station. This line goes to Ealing Broadway and on to central London (Paddington). Apart from the railway, there are bus stops nearby at the end of Northfields avenue. The E3 and E2 go from here. The E3 goes from Greenford to Chiswick and the E2 route goes from Greenford to Brentford. Along the Uxbridge road the 207 and 607 go from the start of the Uxbridge road at Uxbridge to the end at Shepherds Bush. Waitrose is also very convenient for customers using cars, as it is easily accessible by the Uxbridge road, and the parking capacity of 300 caters for their needs.

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Waitrose has relatively small competition from similar supermarkets, although there are many grocers in West Ealing along the Uxbridge Road. Cudi supermarket is a grocery store on the Uxbridge Road. While it is not nearly as large as Waitrose it does sell a wide variety of goods, many of which are medium order and exotic (from the Middle-East).

Map of Waitrose

Map of Waitrose and surrounding area

The other shop, which we are comparing to Waitrose, is a small ...

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