A cluster of emptiness?
Yesterday, traveling from Australia to Estonia, I had plenty of time to open up the onboard airline magazines.
Lufthansa had a story covering Hay-on-Wye, Wales: “Nowhere on earth are there more bookstores per square meter”. This is a cluster I have visited, one that has naturally evolved over four decades from just one bookshop. It is a busy cluster, far from empty.
Earlier I had read an article in Air India’s magazine, headlined “The village will be a giant bookstore”, and covered Panchgani in Maharashtra State. Apparently inspired by the Welsh success story, 25 premises are being rented where people can read their favorite books undisturbed. Ten thousand books are to be provided to “encourage tourism in this village, mostly known for its strawberries.”
So why not start with the naturally occurring strawberry cluster, instead of trying to create a cluster from emptiness?
Maharashtra, if you really want to make a difference, start by understanding and then building on the wealth-creating activities that are already present in your regions.
Travel well, Ifor Ffowcs-Williams
Consultant in Urban and Economic Development
7 年Totally agree. Build build build
A clever insight often Northern industrial towns in the U.K are seduced by temporary middle class public servants into believing they should concentrate on finance etc. when their factor endowments are elsewhere. Look for the strawberries may be good motto.
Engineer turned Lawyer * Performing Artist * Tech Enthusiast* CIPP/US Technology lawyer with experience in tech transactions, M&A, and privacy & cybersecurity & over 10 yrs of prior cross-industry global experience.
7 年perhaps the high density of convalescent centres and educational institutions make it a conducive environment ....