For decades, the story of deindustrialisation in Britain has been told through images of abandoned factories, declining towns, and ‘left behind’ communities. 

However, these histories are also stories of migration, radical change, insecure work, and shifting experiences of belonging. As Britain's industrial regions have changed, the experiences of communities of colour have often remained absent from public memory, political debate and research. Decline to Renewal explores those overlooked histories and asks how industrial decline continues to shape working lives, identities, and opportunities across post-industrial England.

Focusing on Preston, Sheffield, and Birmingham, the project brings together oral histories, community research, and labour market analysis to examine how deindustrialisation reshaped local economies, identities, and everyday life.

Funded by the Nuffield Foundation and delivered in partnership with Lancaster University and The Work Foundation, the research investigates the social, cultural, and economic consequences or deindustrialisation for communities of colour across in the North and the Midlands of England. Through a combination of historical research, participatory interviews, and labour market analysis, the project seeks to broaden dominant narratives of industrial decline and challenge the idea that deindustrialisation is experienced through a singular story of a ‘left-behind white working class’. 

Broadening the narrative

The story of industrial decline is often understood primarily through its effects on white working-class communities, with far less attention being paid to how communities of colour experienced industrial work, economic restructuring, insecure employment, and changing relationships to place and belonging. This project addresses that gap.

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Our research covers Preston, Sheffield, and Birmingham. Through participatory interviews with ethnic minority residents, we are exploring how industrial changes have shaped local identities, migration histories, community life and experiences of work across generations. . These collective reflections will help deepen understanding of the long social consequences of deindustrialisation and how they continue to shape local labour markets today. 

Promoting inclusive regeneration

Alongside this qualitative research, the project will analyse quantitative data to illustrate how the erosion of secure, middle income industrial jobs has disproportionately impacted various groups, including UK-born and migrant ethnic minorities, across England. 

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The project also works with local authorities, employers, and community organisations to identify how regional economic strategies and labour market interventions can better support diverse communities in formerly industrial areas. On a national level, we hope to use these data to influence policy conversations, particularly around the “Invest 2035” Industrial Strategy and the enactment of the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.

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By reframing narratives and amplifying marginalised voices, this project seeks to redefine how we understand and address the legacies of deindustrialisation, charting a path toward more inclusive regeneration. 

Would you like to contribute to this research?

If you live in Preston, Sheffield, or Birmingham, and have experience of industrial work or economic change in your community, we would welcome hearing from you. Click the link on the city name to complete our contact form and arrange an interview with one of our researchers.