The North South divide
Cities have always been seen as hubs of economic activity; a place that attracts the best and brightest in their field. Over the past 100 years, the priorities of developed cities have changed- the focus has shifted from secondary, to quarternary industry. All major cities were affected by the decline of heavy industry in the late 20th century; however, the South continued to prosper whilst the North struggled. Some cities have changed with the national economic focus. For instance, Reading was once renowned for it's iron and steel works. However, today it is seen as a home for a Russell Group university, and the head quarters for MNCs like Microsoft. This means that it is more attractive for skilled workers- the net input of commuters is 30,000 whereas the output is only 25,000. Reading's success is mainly down to it's ability to change. We can compare this to less successful northern cities, which often have not changed from their industrial roots. Burnley is an example
