inner city

Derelict gasometers near St Pancras station, London, England. They are a clear indicator of the decline of industrial manufacturing in inner cities. In the background is the British Telecom (BT) tower (formerly the Post Office tower), a symbol of the service industries that now dominate the British economy.

The area surrounding the central business district of a town or city. In many cities this is one of the older parts and may suffer from decay and neglect, leading to social problems. The area behind St Pancras Station in London, UK, is one example of a traditional inner city.

Some theories of urban land use call the outer part of the inner city the ‘twilight zone’ or zone of transition. Here there may be poor-quality terraced housing with old manufacturing industry nearby. Low rents and land prices in the inner city may attract newly arriving ethnic groups, who then establish their own sectors within the area. There may be crime and social tension. As industries in the area close down, unemployment rises and land becomes derelict. These sites are unattractive to new industry and may not attract investment.