The Guardian has issued a correction regarding a recent study on England's high streets, which highlighted disparities in retail offerings between affluent and deprived communities. The study, conducted by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods, found that shopping precincts in England's poorest areas have 70% more vape shops, off-licences, and bookmakers compared to their wealthier counterparts.
Editing Error Led to Misstatement
During the editing process of an article published on 9 February, titled "Local shops overlooked in focus on high street – study," the percentage was incorrectly changed to "seven times more." This significant error has now been rectified to accurately reflect the original findings of the research.
Other Recent Corrections
In addition to this correction, the publication has amended other articles recently. One notable example includes a piece about a top civil servant potentially becoming the third key departure from No 10 in a matter of days, though specific details of the correction were not disclosed in the announcement.
How to Report Errors
Readers who wish to report editorial complaints or request corrections can contact The Guardian via email at guardian.readers@theguardian.com. Alternatively, they can write to the Readers' editor at Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, or leave a voicemail on +44 (0) 20 3353 4736.
The study underscores ongoing concerns about the composition of high streets across England, with a higher concentration of certain types of shops in less affluent areas. This correction ensures that public discourse and policy considerations are based on accurate data, as the original misstatement could have exaggerated the scale of the issue.
