Coronavirus’ exposure of food, place and community resilience: a Welsh local authority perspective
Journal of Place Management and Development
ISSN: 1753-8335
Article publication date: 13 April 2022
Issue publication date: 23 September 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Coronavirus has accentuated the cracks within the fragile UK food system. Empty shelves and empty stomachs, the damaging consequences of coronavirus have led to an unprecedented increase in food insecurity and food access. The purpose of this paper is to provide in-depth insight into varied and innovative rural localised responses to food access during the pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on multiple perspectives of those working to combat food insecurity, inequality and inaccessibility in Gwynedd, exploring food access initiatives and their responses to the pandemic, innovative food distribution collaborations and the role of maintaining already fragile rural communities.
Findings
This study concludes that the need for transformative place-making to build stronger, more resilient communities has never been more pressing, with support from public sector funding to help alleviate some of the hardships and pressure with the rise in poverty and austerity, coronavirus imposed or not.
Originality/value
This study focuses on a single local authority area in North Wales, Gwynedd, an area where little food research has been published to date. The coronavirus pandemic also places the timely research within the scope of food access and distribution during hardship. This study discusses the impacts exposed by the pandemic and lessons that can be drawn and reflected on for future benefit.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all those working within the food and drink industry during the pandemic, and for their invaluable contributions to this paper. They would also like to thank the reviewers for their comments. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and publication of this article.
Citation
Jones, R., Thomas Lane, E. and Prosser, L. (2022), "Coronavirus’ exposure of food, place and community resilience: a Welsh local authority perspective", Journal of Place Management and Development, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 476-492. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-02-2021-0014
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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