As the weather starts to improve, many bar owners in Manchester are looking to extend their outside seating into the road once again – but one is claiming that its applications have been both refused and ignored by the Council.
Whilst the likes of Common and The Bay Horse Tavern are unpacking their drop-leaf tables for another summer serving in the street, Alvarium – just around the corner on Dorsey Street – is feeling significantly left out without a confirmed road closure of its own.
This week, its owners have issued an impassioned plea to be granted more outside seating – explaining that “last summer this extension meant we survived, and we were able to protect our staff against redundancies, an important priority for us.”
The bar said it was ‘still struggling’ and that having extra space last year meant they could ‘absorb some of the economic shock’ from the fallout of the pandemic.
Turning their ire on Manchester City Council in a fervent social media post, owners claimed that they had already been ‘given the green light’ but that Council bosses had suddenly ‘revoked the grant […] with no grounds or reason’ and ignored further appeals.
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The post continued: “The council approved Piccadilly Cycle Lane which pedestrianised Thomas St and Stevenson Square however, Edge St (which can be seen in the third photo) was not included in these plans, yet the bars and restaurants have still been granted access to the road.
“By comparison our road Dorsey St, a double yellow lined cul-de-sac, has been denied with no grounds or reason.”
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The bar also said that it had since had ‘no response from the Council or our local MP’, adding ‘our faith in being listened to is fading’.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Manchester City Council told The Manc that the only official correspondence MCC has had with the premises in question dates to March 16, 2022.
They explained that the reason the road closures have been granted in other areas, but not Dorsey Street, is due to the ending of emergency Covid legislation that ‘allowed the Council to expedite road closures and provide temporary licences for premises wanting to trade outside.’
Now, in order for a business to trade on the street/road, a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) or Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) must be in place.
Businesses are, at a cost, able to apply for a licence to trade on the street/road and this process (unlike the temporary scheme legislation now revoked by Parliament) also requires a full consultation and planning consent.
They added that, in regard to Edge Street and Thomas Street and Stevenson Square, businesses are able to continue trading as there is an existing TRO in place to facilitate the PicVic cycling route (the planning for which predated the pandemic).
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “During the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic laws were brought in by the Government which allowed the Council to expedite road closures and provide temporary licences for premises wanting to trade outside.
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“This was vital in allowing the Council to expedite planning and licensing law in order to save countless businesses that would not have been able to trade due to Covid restrictions.
“However, the temporary powers granted to the Council were revoked by Parliament and can no longer be used more expeditiously support businesses who want to install outdoor seating that required a road closure. General applications for road closures and permanent outside seating licences would have to be directed to the Council’s Highways Department, as was the case before the pandemic.”
Alvarium’s owners, however, maintain that ‘the consequences could be detrimental’ if they are not granted a road closure this summer. Pressure continues to build as other Manchester hospitality businesses, such as Black Milk, are now joining the call for businesses to have more outdoor seating.
Black Milk owner Andy Young has this morning set up a petition to reintroduce the act that allows roads to be temporarily or partially closed to traffic for outdoor seating introduced in response to COVID in 2020 and 2021, so we expect we have not seen the last of this debate yet.
Feature image- Alvarium
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Manchester’s AO Arena scoop up Take That as Keane’s Co-op Live gig is cancelled in ongoing venue saga
Daisy Jackson
Manchester’s existing arena, the AO Arena, has stepped in to host more concerts that have been postponed by Co-op Live, with yet another act being cancelled too.
First it was A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, announced earlier today and now, in perhaps the most damning twist of fate for the brand-new venue, Take That’s five-night run that was set for the Co-op Live this May has now been moved to the AO Arena.
Their two June dates at the new arena are said to be unaffected.
The Co-op Live‘s official opening has been hit with several delays, with events like Peter Kay’s double bill, Olivia Rodrigo and The Black Keys all already postponed over the last week or so.
Issuing a statement after rescuing multiple Take That shows, AO Arena general manager Jen Mitchell, said: “It wouldn’t be a Take That tour without a stop-off in Manchester, so it’s great to welcome the band and their fans back to AO Arena for five nights, in the heart of this wonderful city.”
The venue has naturally welcomed the sudden flood of extra names being added to its already strong lineup for 2024, doing its best to minimise inconvenience for gig-goers who have made travel arrangements, booked hotels etc.
As for the group themselves, they also responded to their tens of thousands of fans expecting to see them from this weekend onwards.
Confessing that they’ve had to make “the difficult decision” to switch venues and although “it’s not one [they’ve taken lightly], they wanted to give fans as much notice as possible”, adding: “We thank you for your understanding and we’ll see you all soon”.
Meanwhile, Noughties favourites Keane have sadly had to shelve their Manchester show for the foreseeable following the venue’s continuing “technical issues”.
Announcing the news on their social pages on Thursday evening, they admitted that they were “absolutely gutted” but that the decision was “entirely out of the control”.
Notably, the huge new venue by the Etihad Stadium had to turn away fans who were already queueing for A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie on Monday 1 May, after part of an air conditioning unit fell from the ceiling onto a (thankfully) empty arena floor.
Question marks had already been hanging over whether some upcoming gigs would be able to go ahead and now it seems that they will be taking place – just not at the Co-op Live…
Manchester’s decades-old AO Arena, the largest indoor venue in the UK (until the Co-op Live opens), will be welcoming Keane to its stage instead.
With so many people having been pitting the two venues against one another over the last weeks and months, let’s just say it’s quite clear who’s come out looking better at the minute…
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie moves Manchester gig to AO Arena following Co-op Live cancellation
Danny Jones
Rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has confirmed that his cancelled Co-op Live gig has now been moved to Manchester’s AO Arena this weekend.
After suddenly being lined up as the venue’s first official gig after the postponement of both Peter Kay and The Black Keys, the American hip-hop artists’ show ended up going the same as the others previously scheduled for the new arena and being pulled at the last minute.
With guests being turned away from the still-yet-to-open Co-op Live Arena just hours before the show was set to start, and Olivia Rodrigo fans being given the same unfortunate news ahead of her gig this Saturday, ABWDH has taken matters into his own hands.
Announcing the rescheduling of his concert on X, the 28-year-old artist confirmed that Wednesday night’s gig has now been relocated to Co-op’s main rival, the AO Arena.
Set to take place on Saturday, the artist – which just so happens to be his first name (yes, seriously) – had a simple message for his fans: “We won’t give up that easy, let’s go!”.
Nevertheless, it hasn’t stopped the venue – which is set to become the UK’s biggest indoor entertainment venue and one of the largest in Europe when it finally does open – from announcing more events over the coming months and well into 2025.
Confirming the show on their social pages, the AO simply promised, “It’s going to be a brilliant night and we can’t wait to see you all here.”
The AO Arena has hosted some of the biggest names in the entire world in the course of its existence and recently underwent a £50m refurbishment that included the launch of The Mezz.
Safe to say this presents an interesting twist in events when so many people have been pitting the two venues against one another.
Question marks have been hanging over whether more upcoming gigs, like Keane on Sunday 5 May, and then a five-night run of gigs from Take That will still be able to go ahead.
It remains to be seen whether other artists will follow suit in moving their shows should more cancellations/postponements be announced.
You can recap everything that’s happened so far down below: