@bob Is there anywhere else apart from the urban city centre that has such a concatenation of differences. I live in a city centre.  I have to step over homeless people to leave my home. Next door to me is a shop that sells ripped jeans for £500 a pair.  People from suburbs visit to drink in bars and buy in fashion shops. 
I love the city centre.. and resist gentrification and "mall"ification of it.  The street should allow many uses... not just commodity.  But ... I don't think many people understand that.