Planning and the small shop: The Scandinavian example

There's nothing new in the disappearance of small shops. “A sign of the times” or “no place nowadays for the small trader” were once familiar comments as the for sale signs appeared over the corner shops. Now there are questions in the House and academics research into the difficulties of shopping in small rural communities. The problem is not confined to the UK; in this article David Kirby reports on recent Scandinavian legislation which provides for grants to help with modernisation, expansion or just everyday running costs for these small shops which, the Scandinavians believe, “play a vital role in the community”.