Last month saw the delivery of Retail Location Analysis 2009, the unique and highly popular programme run annually by the Oxford Institute of Retail Management at the Said Business School, University of Oxford, now in its twenty-third year - and feedback shows it was as successful as ever.

The residential course ran over 3 days from 20-22 April 2009. Places were strictly limited and those that attended enjoyed a very useful three days. Attendees included representatives from Waitrose, The Co-Operative Group, Canadian retailer the North West Company, Dutch retailer Agri-Retail and B&Q.

Programme Directors Jonathan Reynolds and David Rogers put together a full programme which included three main elements:

• Techniques Workshops - Covering a range of techniques including The Analogue Method, Multivariate Analysis and Gravity and Spatial Interaction Modelling. In addition to David Rogers, this year the speakers included Andy Thomson and William de Genst of The Wendover Group. The gravity modelling workshop was hosted by Adrian Wiles and William de Genst of The Wendover Group
• Practitioner Case Studies – From representatives of Alliance Boots and DSG International
• The Environment for Decision-Making - A series of background briefings by acknowledged industry experts, plenary clinics and panels, including sessions by Atul Joshi of Strategic Perspectives and Professor Martin Clarke of the University of Leeds

“Good mix of topics, well worth it, very beneficial.”

“Excellent.  I have achieved the objectives of improving my understanding of all the different methods of approaches to location planning & analysis.”

The gravity modelling session and accompanying competition run by the Wendover Group team scored a record 4.8/5.0 in the workshop appraisal.

For further details regarding this year's programme please download the course prospectus.

Plans are already being made for the 24th Retail Location Analysis workshop to take place in April 2010 and anyone considering attending next year’s course is invited to contact Jonathan Reynolds at Said Business School to register their interest, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .