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Drawing upon what you have learned about City road, outline how differences are made and remade on a street which you know. After studying City Road, I took a closer look at a street close to my home. At first glance, Market Street in Armagh with its Georgian buildings, locally owned businesses, bustling street markets, strikes you as being untouched and unaltered by time or society. Using my course materials I examined Market Street and studied how the buildings, locally owned shops, people’s activities, immigration, traffic calming measures, all have an affect on how differences are made and remade and I questioned how the actions and interactions on Market Street change social patterns through time. Market Street, like City Road, has many independent retailers that function alongside the ‘big conglomerate shops’ such as Sainsbury’s. Colin Buttwell (‘Making social lives on City road’, 2009, scene 3) explains that his newsagent business and others were affected by the opening of Tescos. Likewise on Market Street some family owned shops have had to close, unable to compete with Sainsbury’s and out-of-town shopping centres. Others have adapted to this change, either joining other local chains of shops, or offering more traditional goods that are not offered by the multi retailers, thus offering more choice and a personal service to customers. Dr Georgina Blakely explains this as change and continuity reshaping society resulting in winners and losers. (‘Making social lives on City road’, 2009, scene2) Change and continuity and the connection of people and material infrastructure discussed by Simon Bromley (‘City Road, 2009’) can be examined with the Traffic calming measures implemented on Market Street. Like city road where traffic tensions exist, it can be observed how society and the state try to resolve them, (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, scene 3). Market Street road space is shared between pedestrians, parked cars and thoroughfare traffic. Pedestrianisation in the 1990s, coupled with the introduction of local car parking charges meant car users looked to other areas that were more easily and cheaply accessed resulting in the loss of trade and community spirit in Market Street. After the reintroduction of vehicle traffic on Market Street there has been an increase in social activity. Furthermore Mr Hawthorn a local trader states, “Indeed, we are seeing a gradual return to traditional shopping patterns, with local people realising the importance of shopping locally.” (www.ulstergazette.co.uk) On City Road social lives and identities are partially remade by migration, (Blakeley et al, 2009, p.35), and this similarity is being made and remade on Market Street. Although some local residents view the ethnic minorities as outsiders, increasingly, the traditional Irish culture of Armagh is being influenced by the ethnic minorities who live and work here.” (www.inarmagh.net). Alongside traditional family businesses owned for generations, new businesses are emerging with Eastern European themes such as food stores thus creating a cross cultural feel to the community. While these shops have a broad appeal, primarily they have been created to provide a sense of identity for Eastern Europeans. Local Polish worker Yolanda states, “I am definitely Polish; I don’t think I could be Irish,” (www.inarmagh.net). Similarly on City Road we can see Janet dealing with these complexities of identity by opening her shop, ‘Xquistite Africa’. (‘Making Social Lives on City Road’, 2009, scene 2) Differences can also be made and remade at different times. An excellent example of this is the Market Place Theatre. It was developed on the site of the old film house which closed its doors in the late 1970s amidst a steady decline in the use of Market Street at night time partly due to the barricading of Market Street in the troubles and the restriction of movement. Market place Theatre can be compared to the Mackintosh centre, a place that at different times of the day and week offers different activities and provides a different role for individual members of the public, from school activities, craft lessons, historical meetings, and conferences to public performances, offering much wider connections than just theatre goers. Through these activities social connections are made with the people using them and the theatre. Jill McEneaney director of the theatre claims that through working with the local college mutual benefits can be shared between the theatre, students and the wider community, (www.src.ac.uk). Furthermore the creation of the Market Place has regenerated Market Street, with bistro bars, cafes and shops thriving, both during the day and evening due to the number and flow of people attracted to the Market Place Theatre. In concluding, the differences on Market Street are made and remade by the activities and connections that take place and are influenced by the relationships between, people, identities, time and place. These differences are unique to Market Street, yet there are similarities to the differences made and remade on City Road.