Non-amenity business growth and small town revival

Despite their dominance within academic research, not all places are conducive to amenity-led revival. Through longitudinal case study analysis and a series of wider contextual interviews, this paper explores the potential of small town business growth to provide an alternative/complementary strategy within place-based revival. Despite transport accessibility remaining a key determinant attracting business investment, significant business growth has still occurred within peripheral towns and can provide a closer resonance to local economic/social/political realities than amenity-led approaches. Whilst there is potential for small town business growth, policy recognition requires an increased awareness of the importance of place-based revival. •Not all places are conducive to amenity-led revival.•Explores the potential of alternative small town business growth.•Significant business growth was found to have occurred.•Provide closer resonance to local economic/social/political realities than amenity-led approaches.•Policy recognition requires an increased awareness of the importance of small town business growth.