clone town
n. A town or neighborhood where the main shopping area is dominated by chain stores, thus making it look identical to the shopping areas in many other towns.
Other Forms
Examples
2016
Councillor Lawrence said he also wanted to encourage more independent shops in the city, to avoid Wolverhampton becoming a 'clone town' with the same stores as everywhere else.
2015
Ellenbrook, Hatfield is the town with the least percentage of independents (clone town) at only 16.9 per cent against the GB average of 65 per cent.
2013
Transport experts say it is leading to the creation of 'clone-town' stations as much-loved long-running family businesses with genuine character are forced to make way for glossy identikit chains.
2004
This report launches a national survey to find out why the places that we live and shop seem to be turning into clone towns.
—“Clone Town Britain,” New Economics Foundation, August 28, 2004
2002 (earliest)
—John Freeman, “Rebuilding Lancaster and Morecambe: Clone Town Britain?,” Virtual Lancaster, June 27, 2002
Notes
There is a real danger that escalating demand for living and working space will drive designers and developers to cutting corners and using "identical" plans which will create "clone towns."
—Jonathan Owen, “Clone towns: British towns in danger of becoming identical and soulless,” The Independent (London), March 25, 2014