Inner cities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: future or extinction?

Inner cities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: future or extinction?

In recent years, many city centers in Germany have been struggling with a worrying situation: empty shops and unused shopping streets are not uncommon. The future of these central trading centers is becoming increasingly questionable, especially in small and medium-sized towns in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Like the NDR editorial team reported, the causes of the decline can be seen in a variety of factors. Online retail, shopping centers on the outskirts of the city, shrinking population numbers and changing consumer habits are affecting stationary retail.

Given these developments, scientists predict that the tradition of city centers could soon be a thing of the past. A rethink is essential: new ideas are needed to make inner cities more attractive again. It is crucial that municipalities, businesses and the population work together to find solutions. This week, more precisely on November 10th, the future of the city centers will be discussed at an NDR “Talk on Site” in Demmin. The central question is: Do our inner cities still have a future?

A look at the numbers

Statista has compiled interesting data on the location of city centers. Statista points out that the closure of 47 Galeria-Karstadt-Kaufhof branches in June 2023 is a warning sign. And this is not an isolated case: further closures have already been announced for January 2024. This development is part of a larger upheaval in retail that is characterized by a long-term loss of attractiveness in city centers.

A decisive factor is the changing consumer behavior of the younger generation. According to the surveys, the proportion of people under 30 who value the city center as a shopping location fell from 75% in 2015 to just 40% in 2021. The Corona crisis has further increased this negative trend. The “doughnut effect,” which describes the shift in consumption from city centers to the suburbs, is increasingly seen by experts as threatening the revenues of downtown businesses.

The future possibilities

But there is hope: 45% of those surveyed still want places to stay and meet friends in the city centers. Many consumers dream of a mix of functions that combines shopping with living, working, dining and leisure. And the shopping function is not completely left behind: everyday products, especially groceries, are still preferred to be bought in stationary stores. The challenge for urban planners and retailers is to meet the needs of a changing society.

Some discussions about the future design of inner cities also take place as part of the NDR program. In the news on NDR 1 Radio MV, the demands for a better quality of stay are repeatedly pointed out. If people voted on the future of their city centers, the options could hardly be more contradictory: Yes, with new ideas and political will; perhaps, but only with rapid changes; or no, the age of inner cities is over.

However, politics plays a crucial role and must be actively involved in finding ways out of the crisis. The coming weeks and months are crucial in giving the beleaguered inner cities a new perspective. The actors in the cities are called upon to maintain dialogue and work together on a solution so that the inner cities can not only survive, but also develop further.