Respondent profile

A second purpose of examining the dataset is to establish the profile of the

respondents. Understanding the characteristics of the sample helps in interpreting the results of the data analysis. The sample of 816 respondents was therefore analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS v. 18. Table 5.1 shows the breakdown of the characteristics of the sample.

It was important to capture as wide a range of consumers in the three town centres as possible. The sample consisted of 59% females and 41% males. The age group between 18 and 30 years old was somewhat over-represented, making up 33.7% of the sample. Whereas this was unsurprising in the cases of Cambridge and Nottingham whose age profiles are well below national average, the high percentage of respondents under 30 in Wakefield (with an average age profile) was less expected (Venuescore, 2009). Shoppers over 61 years were relatively under-represented at 12.6% of the sample. The remaining age groups were

spread evenly in between. Those in employment made up over half (54.2%) of the sample, with full time at 35.4% and part-time at 18.8%. Those not working either

147 through unemployment but of working age or homemakers represented 21.4%.

Retired people were 10.3%, and students in full time education made up 14.1% of the sample.

Respondents represented a comprehensive range of shoppers in the three town centres in terms of economic status and activity. Respondents in socio-economic groups A to C1 made up 56% of the sample, while those in groups C2 to E were 44%. Respondents were evenly spread between those with secondary, further education and higher education qualifications. The majority of respondents (94%) were white, reflecting a slightly higher proportion among those shopping in the town centres when compared to resident populations (average 84%).

It was important to establish an understanding of the relationships respondents had with the town centres in which they were interviewed. Out of the total sample, 86.3% were shopping in the town centre on that day, while 13.6% were visiting that town centre for other reasons, such as employment. Slightly more than half of the sample (57.1%) shopped on a daily or weekly basis in the town centre where they were interviewed, while only 14.5% were infrequent shoppers (less than monthly). Almost two-thirds of the sample (61.9%) had shopped in the town centre where they were interviewed for over 5 years, while only 22.8% had started

shopping in that town centre within the last 12 months. Thus the majority of respondents were familiar with and knowledgeable about the town centre where they were interviewed.

The sample was reasonably coherent across all three town centres, albeit with some differences. Cambridge respondents were far more likely to be in full time employment (45.1%) than in part-time work (16.1%), unemployed/ homemakers (13.9%), students (15.4%) or retired (9.5%). In contrast, respondents in

Nottingham and Wakefield were more evenly spread across these categories.

Similar proportions of full time employees and unemployed/homemakers were surveyed (Nottingham - 28.4% and 23.6%, Wakefield - 32.7% and 26.8%) with part-time workers at a similar level in both cities (19.2% and 21.0%). Retired people were equally represented (10.7%) in both cities. Respondents who were students were of similar frequency in Cambridge and Nottingham (15.4% and

148 18.1%) but were fewer in Wakefield (8.8%) due to the fact that unlike the other two cities, Wakefield is not a university town. Over the whole sample, the percentage of respondents who were classed as students was 14.1%.

Cambridge respondents thus appeared more prosperous and educated to a higher level than respondents in the other two cities. They were more than twice as

frequently found to belong to the two higher socio-economic groups (A and B) (30.8% when compared to 15.1% in Nottingham and 13.6% in Wakefield).

Cambridge respondents were also more likely to have completed higher education (50.5% as opposed to 24.4% in Nottingham and 22.8% in Wakefield). Conversely, Nottingham respondents who had only completed secondary education made up almost half of the sample in that city (46.9%), representing the highest proportion of all three cities. Cambridge respondents made up 29.7% and Wakefield 37.1% in the secondary education category.

Nottingham had the highest proportion of respondents who had shopped there for less than one year (27.3% as opposed to 22.8% average) but also the highest number of shoppers over 61 (16.6% as opposed to 12.6%). However, only 74.2%

of Nottingham respondents (as opposed to 86.3% overall) were shopping in the town centre on the day they were sampled, suggesting that the town centre provides other reasons than shopping for visiting there. In terms of frequency of shopping, respondents who shopped on a weekly basis in the town centre where they were interviewed were those most frequently represented in all three cities. In Wakefield, weekly shoppers represented over half of the sample (52.6%) while in Cambridge and Nottingham respondents who shopped on a weekly basis made up 35.2% and 36.2% respectively. Cambridge had the highest proportion of

respondents who shopped infrequently (less than monthly), at 19.4%. Wakefield respondents were more likely have shopped there for longer than five years (73.2%) as opposed to respondents in Cambridge and Nottingham of 57.5% and 55.0% respectively, suggesting that the Wakefield sample contained more loyal shoppers than the other two cities.

These respondent profiles give confidence that the sample was a reasonable representation of shoppers in the three town centres.

149 Table ‎5.1 Respondent Characteristics

Frequency % Frequency % Frequency % Frequency %

Gender

male 116 42.5 109 40.2 110 40.4 335 41.1

female 157 57.5 162 59.8 162 59.6 481 58.9

Age

full time 123 45.1 77 28.4 89 32.7 289 35.4

part time 44 16.1 52 19.2 57 21.0 153 18.8

student 42 15.4 49 18.1 24 8.8 115 14.1

not in work 38 13.9 64 23.6 73 26.8 175 21.4

secondary 81 29.7 127 46.9 101 37.1 309 37.9

further education 53 19.4 78 28.8 106 39.0 237 29.0

higher education 138 50.5 66 24.4 62 22.8 266 32.6

Shopping here today

yes 261 95.6 201 74.2 242 89.0 704 86.3

no 12 4.4 69 25.5 30 11.0 111 13.6

Frequency of shopping

daily 50 18.3 35 12.9 44 16.2 129 15.8

weekly 96 35.2 98 36.2 143 52.6 337 41.3

fortnightly 39 14.3 64 23.6 21 7.7 124 15.2

monthly 35 12.8 45 16.6 27 9.9 107 13.1

less than monthly 53 19.4 28 10.3 37 13.6 118 14.5

Length of time since first shopped

less than 1 year 59 21.6 74 27.3 53 19.5 186 22.8

between 1 and 5 years 57 20.9 48 17.7 20 7.4 125 15.3

more than 5 years 157 57.5 149 55.0 199 73.2 505 61.9

Cambridge n=273 Nottingham n=271 Wakefield n=272 Total n-816

150