Now that I have a better understanding of my topic and what I’m doing I am able to carry out specific detail. I started off by asking a friends and family of a variety of age, gender and location what they knew and/or thought about gentrification. Here are my responses -Â
Personally I struggle with gentrification because as much as I want to be green etc I also believe there is a way of doing that whilst still developing our technologies, lifestyles and living choices however the way it is currently being done in some places is only allowing a few people to survive the way they want to be surviving. – me/19 years/London
Gentrification to me is a great thing if all parties are agreed that they want to improve surroundings. But it means it makes the area more desirable and raises cost of living which could lead to social cleansing which in some areas like cities could dramatically reduce the diversity which is not always a good thing. – Dad/47/MinchinhamptonÂ
Can’t say it’s something i’ve ever really given much thought to it. Why?? – Jack
I think gentrification only leads to one thing and that’s literally a geological spilt in rich and poor. Personally I think the state should step in and balance it out by stopping companies change the pricing of public housing where people have lived for years and then forcing them out so they can build mansions. It could only work in a Orwellian State like 1984. The way to combat is public knowledge and bring public attention to said things like what Russell Brand did and they won.  - Stan/21/Stroud
As with many if not most things there are pros and cons. Gentrification can increase property prices which can mean local people who were brought up in the area can’t afford to buy and get priced out of the area. Also it can completely change the character of an area. That’s happened a lot in London for example. But gentrification can greatly help local businesses, make an area more beautiful and bring more wealth to a previous poor area. The area is better kept up, has better facilities etc. Call me superficial but Personally I like it. – Gran/67/MinchinhamptonÂ
Personally I love the concept but only if it takes all of society with it - ie not pricing the working classes out of an area. The state should step into prevent this. - Mum/46/MinchinhamptonÂ
Gentrification is a bit hit and miss, in some areas it can revive the CBD and bring revenue into a city or town, however in other places such as Cardiff gentrification has led to social polarisation, poor often being bordered by the rich, change in local amenities to suit the higher income families which come along with the higher income housing often ostricises the lower income houses/families which live in the area leading to degradation and/Or removal of the lower income families from the area, this has become apparent in places like Cardiff where now house prices are similar to that of london! - Chris/Cardiff/20
To be honest I don't really know much about it but always wanted to no more about it , I'll try and read about it abit and try and get an opinion if that helps? - Callum/Spain/20
It’s always about perspective so which side you’re looking at it from. There is good and bad. Can be seen as like middle class appropriation of working culture. Usually I would say it’s response to degradation and stagnation. Also a kinda process from like regeneration and studentification is also a key theme. Good examples are Islington borough in north London and kelham island in sheffield( was the old steel industry sector now full of nice flats and gallery’s etc) - Conrad/21/SheffieldÂ
ADDED - No worries I did a study on kelham island last year and when we went down there someone had graffitied ‘fuck off yuppies’ kinda says it all - Conrad/21/Sheffield
Hmmmm I'm not particularly well informed but I think it is kinda inevitable, however, this doesn't mean I like it. It's just moving towards becoming socially segregated between classes, I think it's to do with the government though, maybe some law can be put in place to stop it happening.... realistically that is never going to happen, not 100 percent anyway - Katryna/20/BrightonÂ
It can provide opportunity for more work for lower class in the city. It's not neccisserily a bad thing but if it means lower class have nowhere to go then its an issue - Freddy/20/BristolÂ
Personally I prefer nearly everything after it’s been gentrified, but also, yakno, there are so many negatives. Inflation of course being one of the worst for poorer family’s.  Personally if it was just for aesthetic purposes I’d be all for it everywhere (but preserving some graffiti) But economically, not every place can handle it. - Shaye/21/TeddingtonÂ
This helped me avoid having a biased view towards it, I am still waiting on some more responses to make my understanding even broader. I think asking people you know compared to strangers is a lot more effective as I find I trust them to be as honest as possible and I find the responses a lot more personal and easier to digest than opinions found online.Â