Nicholas Crane talks towns in Bewdley (From Kidderminster Shuttle)
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Nicholas Crane talks towns in Bewdley
11:18am Friday 8th February 2013 in Local
Talking towns: From left, Peter Miller of Bewdley Development Trust, Roger Key of Bewdley Festival, Nicholas Crane and Richard Perrin of Bewdley Civic Society. picture: COLIN HILL
A CAPACITY audience turned out to hear Nicholas Crane, star of the TV Series Coast, speak at Bewdley Baptist Church.
It was the first event arranged by three local organisations, Bewdley Development Trust, Bewdley Civic Society and Bewdley Festival.
Nicholas Crane, a geographer, author and TV presenter, drew on his travels in the course of TV series Coast and Town, to illustrate the roles of towns past and present.
After describing the history of urbanisation, and stressing that in Britain more people live in towns than in cities or the countryside, Mr Crane explored towns as centres of commerce, society, community and the arts.
In answer to questions, he defended his faith in the future of towns, in the face of supermarkets and internet shopping, by pointing out the phenomenon of towns developing specialisms, Ludlow with food, Hay-on-Wye with books, St Ives and Margate with art, Padstow with gourmet seafood and Scarborough with the theatre.
He also noted in the talk that, contrary to national trends, all shops in Bewdley are believed to be let.
After his talk, Nicholas posed for photos, signed books and answered more questions with audience members.
