There are lots of examples of complimentary landuse in the core area e.g.) the location of cafes and pubs near to shops – using the idea shopping and then resting/eating e.g.) Java Juice Bar and Subway on Burscough Street. These eateries also cater for the towns’ workforce when on lunch breaks. Another example of complimentary landuse in the core is the location of banks – there is one situated on each of the 4 main streets e.g.) Halifax on the corner of Aughton Street and Church Street. This enables shoppers to draw money out and then spend it later on in the shops (the shops then deposit their takings in the bank).
Often in the core, there are many shops selling similar goods and here you find examples of comparative shopping e.g.) there are 2 card shops in the core (Clinton Cards on Church Street and Hallmark on Moor Street) Shoppers will compare prices between these 2 shops, so they will be in competition with each other. Another example of comparative shopping includes the market stalls (which all sell similar goods, like food and clothes).
Another pattern I found was not 1 that links with frequent goods, but rather infrequent services e.g.) solicitors and accountants. These professional services are infrequently used and are found in the periphery e.g.) The Solicitors on Derby Street. They are situated here because they don’t rely on passing trade, people seek them out specially – this is on advantage, because they don’t have to pay the high prices (rents/rates) for buildings in the core.
As I found in the core there are lots of examples of complimentary landuse in the periphery too e.g.) along Derby Street the police station, the solicitors and the magistrates’ court are all located – each providing a service for one another.
Also located in the periphery are the large supermarkets – these need large areas of cheap land (not available in the core) they need this space for large single storey buildings and usually car parks as well (which is an example of complimentary landuse). Another reason for being located here, is the fact that like the professional services e.g.) accountants they don’t rely on passing trade – people make special trips to the supermarket, therefore they need to be accessible by car not necessarily by foot and so can afford not to be in a pedestrianised area and even though supermarkets are chain stores they are not found in the core with the others for this reason.
Although most of the goods and services conform to this pattern in commercial landuse i.e.) very frequently used goods and services situated in the core and professional/infrequently used goods and services situated in the periphery, there are some anomalies; e.g.) Iceland supermarket on Moorgate doesn’t quite fit the pattern – it is almost within the core. It was probably built there to take advantage of the already established car park (complimentary landuse).
Another anomaly I found is not one specific to Ormskirk Town Centre but to most town centre core areas. Both Estate Agents and Travel Agents are examples of infrequent/professional services (that are normally situated in the periphery) yet are found in the core. This is because unlike the other infrequent services Estate Agents and Travel Agents rely on passing trade and the need to be seen and they can achieve this by setting up in the core where there is a high pedestrian density (often they are chain stores and can afford the high prices and small office spaces in the core). An example of complimentary landuse can include the duo of Estate Agents and solicitors being found together e.g.) Collertons Estate Agents and J.K.P Solicitors on Church Street.
