Frank Wang needs your help!

A few months ago, former Chair of CLD, Linda Chung wrote an article here about Frank Wang and the petition to get him back his coffee cart in front of Bethnal Green station. We succeeded and the Council of Tower Hamlets and his landlord TfL agreed to let him continue his business there.

However the battle is not over yet as you can read from an extract from the website of Operation Black Vote:

"After 15 years serving coffee to a loyal band of customers outside Bethnal Green Underground station, Frank Wang arrived at his roadside stall one morning to discover he had been closed down without warning.

The opening of a new restaurant in previously derelict public toilets adjacent to Wang's pitch sparked a safety review by Transport for London, which deemed it unsafe for him to continue to serve coffee so close to the stairs into the station. More information on Tfl can be found here: https://tfl.gov.uk/

After a six-month long campaign by his customers, backed by local MPs - Tower Hamlets Mayor John Biggs and London Mayor Sadiq Khan - TfL relented and allowed Wang to return.

Unfortunately, by this time, he had been forced to sell his cart and coffee machine just to make ends meet. Now, his supporters have launched a new crowdfunding campaign to raise the £10,000 needed to get him back into business. In return, Wang is offering everyone who donates £10 a free coffee.

Wang, 52, said he is grateful to feel so at home in Bethnal Green. He said: "I have been here for a long time and a lot of people come here. I make sure my coffee is below £2."

"It's for the community, even the homeless people. If people don't have enough money, I tell them they can come back later and pay."

Anyone who wants to help save Wang's coffee stall can donate to the campaign here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-secure-franks-future."

Please join CLDs in pledging your support for Frank. Be generous. The clock is ticking .....crowdfunding deadline is Dec 28, 11.34. Thank you!