A second petition has been launched in the ongoing dispute over the future of Market Street, one of Manchester's busiest and most 'chaotic' streets. The new petition, which has just nine signatures so far, calls on the council to 'protect and support Market Street stalls' and 'keep fresh sweetcorn in the city centre'.
The petition was set up by Muhammad Adnan and states: "Market Street food stalls are part of what makes Manchester city centre special. They provide affordable, fresh sweetcorn and street food for families, workers, and tourists."
It continues: "Removing them takes away vibrancy, jobs, and choice. We the people of Manchester ask Manchester City Council to protect and support Market Street stalls."
Trader defends business amid tensions
The new petition follows another launched last month, signed by more than 600 people, calling for a major revamp of Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens to make the space more organised and easier to use, and to tackle the problem of 'sensory overload'.
One sweetcorn trader on Market Street, Danny, 29, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week that his business is legitimate and employs more than 20 people. "We have all our licences from the council everything, the council have been here and checked three times, we have a five-star hygiene rating," said Danny, who came to the UK from Pakistan to study his master's degree.
The trader added that businesses like his have become a target for social media influencers, which he believes has increased tensions. "People are coming and taking videos, shouting at us, and now there's a petition against us. In the last three or four years I've never had any problems or difficulties, but people are coming enjoying the corn as you can see," he said.
"But people are coming and thinking we are illegal, they behave like we are illegal, even we are being attacked. I'm running one stall, all my family depend on this stall, and not just one family, we support two or three other families."
Council response to original petition
The original petition urged the council to 'consider the cumulative impact of organised and unorganised street solicitation, amplified sound, street trading, temporary structures, and large gatherings, while respecting the rights to lawful expression, peaceful assembly, and legitimate trading.'
Manchester council said last week that it will work with its officers and partners to find 'solutions' for Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
Councillor Garry Bridges, interim leader at the council, previously said: "Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens are amongst Manchester's busiest and most popular spaces and whilst it's good that there are vibrant things happening on the street there are definitely things which seem to cause more nuisance than others.
"We work hard to ensure these spaces are accessible to everyone, and we don't want to lose the vibrancy of these areas, but decisions on whether to seek more powers are always finely balanced between the desire to maintain an orderly area that everyone can enjoy, and the Council being overly restrictive about people's freedom to perform, gather and protest.
"We are always mindful that clamping down on one type of activity can often have unintended consequences. However, there is a case to be made for more intervention if it can be achieved sensibly.
"We will engage with the petitioners and continue to work with officers and partners to seek the ideal solution for activities in Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street."
