Now we have the mighty University of Manchester and "Corridor Manchester" objecting to an application from the Coffee Cranks Cooperative for a Street Trading licence to sell coffee from their beautifully adapted cargo bike outside the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative shop opposite Withworth Park and on Dover Street (off Oxford Road).
The miserable objection letters from the University of Manchester and Corridor Manchester are available online if you would like read them yourself. They are almost identical and contain such gems as the "presence of a street trader, the congestion it would bring, the visual appearance of the vehicle, and the likelihood of increased litter conflicts with the University’s vision for the area."
and claims that the University "believes that granting the licence would create real safety concerns, be detrimental to its ambitions and, as the contribution to the City’s economy and vibrancy though the success of the University cannot be overstated, we hope that the City Council would reject the application." (Ed - wonder if these "safety concerns" are the same as led Manchester City Council to file "cycling" under crime, antisocial behaviour and nuisance" !)
Coffee Cranks Coop is a workers' coop selling ethically sourced coffee, tea and snacks from a cargo bike designed and constructed by members of the initiative in the summer of 2013. Their objectives are to " bring positive change to our communities while selling delicious and ethically sourced coffee, tea and snacks from our purpose built cargo bike." The core ethos of the coop is based upon a grand vision of helping transform Manchester into a cycling city of the future. This extends beyond cycling; we seek to support other social projects focused on transport, the environment and sustainability.
Sterile laboratories not sterile streets.
The Corridor Manchester Strategic Vision to 2020 document proudly claims that "Corridor Manchester's long-term vision is that, globally and locally, people will recognise the Corridor as a place that is original, creative and smart, where knowledge is put to work." (Page 4, Executive Summary)
Other smart cities have recognised that people like to live in places that have developed good cycling infrastructure as well as "original, creative and smart" social and street culture that is different to the bland "same as everywhere else" multinational chains.
Developing a vibrant cycling culture (and street culture) is about much more than just counting the number of people cycling.* Manchester City Council has recognised the need "undertake major public realm and junction improvements to support street life and commercial activity" in other areas of the City such as the Great Ancoats Street Corridor.
It is time for the University of Manchester and Corridor Manchester to 'wake up and smell the coffee'.
Please sign the Coffee Cranks petition calling on the University of Manchester and Corridor Manchester to withdraw their objections.
And if you would like to - please tweet the following message (or your own variant): University of Manchester (@SocialResponUoM) and Corridor Manchester (@corridormcr): withdraw objections to Coffee Cranks Coop's trading licence application.
(*) "The number of cycle trips has more than doubled – continued evidence of a growing cycling culture."
