Gentrifiers Definition

Richard Florida (2002:8) coined the term ‘the creative class’ in order to define the characteristics of the gentrifiers, defining them as “people in design, education, arts, music and entertainment, whose economic function is to create new ideas, new technology and/or creative content.” Thus, area aesthetics are improved, inevitably attracting culture (Pflieger, 2008; Lloyd, 2010). Whereas Butler and Lees (2006:468) focus on the financial gentrifier describing them as ‘financifers’, arguing that their transnational profession does not necessarily mean they are always moving, but very bound to their occupation in the city and restricted to their quarters in the inner city. Bridge and Waston (2008:337) characterise the gentrifiers by:

“ A distinctive structure of gender relations. Gentrifiers households contain a disproportionate number of dual career households characterised by high female economic activity rates and a disproportionate representation in city centre service jobs […] predisposes
The uneven number of female economic activity and dual career households has occurred because of the industrial decline in predominantly male working industries, resulting in females becoming the breadwinner in post industry. Thus, stemming in people waiting longer to have children, or none at all (Jackson, 1989:56). The original pioneering gentrifiers tend to differ. Pratt (2008 : 1054) looks at the creative class in Hoxton, London. The pioneers who originally moved to Shoreditch and Hoxton were actually artists and creatives with a bohemian attitude rather than being consumers. Pratt (2008) continues to then imply Hoxtons success is down to the fact it produces culture. “Hoxton’s rise as a cultural powerhouse was in its phase as a producer rather than as a consumer” (Pratt, 2008: