Dear Diana Hampson (University of Manchester) and Clare Lowe (Corridor Manchester), we implore you to withdraw your objections to Coffee Cranks Coop's trading licence application in the interest of sustainable and environmental development in the city of Manchester.

We believe it to be great community initiative that will greatly advance the city of Manchester's Volocity 2025 ambitions. It will also enhance customer, student and staff experience of the Oxford Rd. corridor.

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. 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.

Our success is not our own; it is shared with our local community, customers and supporters. 

Please take the time to watch this short film that give further information on our crowdfunding campaign.

We urge the University of Manchester and Corridor Manchester to reconsider their decision, and to re-examine the evidence that demonstrates the fantastic impact the project has on Manchester.

In summary, we think that your responses to our application are unfair and prevent the Council from reaching a just, logical decision. Your evaluation makes no distinction between a catering trailer, ice cream van or a coffee bicycle and exaggerates the risks associated with our presence in the area. We also deem unfair that you attempt to disqualify our application by pointing to the previous investment in the area. Particularly from European Regional Development Fund which, as we have found, prioritises the same development categories that underpin our own project (i.e. sustainable community development).

Please take the time to read the responses below and form your own opinion on the matter. 

References:

University of Manchester response​

Corridor Manchester response