Review of Sin City: The Morality Of Urban Growth

Panel discussion event called Sin City covered the morality issues around property development Manchester city centre. A city which is  going through a high rise, primarily rental, property development boom while many are simultaneously experiencing the sharp end of a housing and homelessness crisis. In Manchester for some years now there has been a series […]

Sir Richard Leese says ‘we are open to working with anybody’ – we asked campaign groups what they thought (pt.3)

In response to a recent blog post by Sir Richard Leese, we’ve been asking local groups to share their experiences of working Manchester City Council. Sir Richard Leese says the council are open to working with any parties interested in environmental and development issues. The following article by Pete Abel of Manchester Friends of the […]

Unicorn Grocery strives to help communities co-operate and ‘grow their own groceries’

In the heart of lively Chorlton-cum-Hardy you can find the fabled unicorn. This particular specimen is no mono-pointed myth, it is the thriving Unicorn Grocery Workers’ Cooperative. A member-run supermarket selling affordable, wholesome food, with a focus on organic, local and fair trade produce. Located on Albany Road and run by it’s motivated worker-owners, the […]

Proposed Order will ‘create a hostile environment for homeless people’ in Manchester city centre says open letter to the council

Manchester City Council will meet tomorrow to discuss the introduction of a controversial Public Space Protection Order. Fifty eight signatories to an open letter are calling on the council to oppose the proposal, which they claim will be severely detrimental to homeless people within the city centre. An open letter addressed to Manchester City Council […]

Manchester Windrush project will document ‘hostile environment’ abuse

The “hostile environment” immigration policy of the Home Office has blighted the lives of many people it has affected. The Windrush Wonders Oral History Project aims to raise public awareness of these stories of abuse by recording and publishing them. A project launched last Thursday in Moss Side will record the effects of the Home […]

Review – Resist: Stories of Uprising

‘In the age of fake news and post-truth politics, Resist: Stories of Uprising chooses to fight fiction with (well researched, historically accurate) fiction.’ – Ra Page Days after publication, Manchester Literature Festival hosted the launch of Resist: Stories of Uprising. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Protest: Stories of Resistance, Comma Press’s latest anthology of short stories pairs writers with […]

Five reasons why Greater Manchester buses must be re-regulated

Last week consultation began over the future of buses in Greater Manchester. Since deregulation in the 1980s bus usage has declined while prices have risen. Change is needed and there are two main options to choose from. Re-regulation in the form of franchising or a private bus company backed partnership model. This is the case […]