In Manchester’s Strangeways district, two city center roads spanning less than 300 yards host an impressive cluster of nicotine product retailers. Harris Street and Overbridge Street feature 51 vape shops, creating a notable hub for e-cigarette businesses. The reasons for this concentration remain unclear, but the area has transformed into a prime location for these outlets.
Breakdown of the Vape Shop Surge
Harris Street alone accommodates 30 vape shops, occupying every available property along the road. Across the boundary into Salford, Overbridge Street adds 21 more, mostly within a small industrial estate. This development has evolved over more than a decade, gaining momentum in recent years after authorities cracked down on the local counterfeit clothing market.
Historical imagery from July 2014 shows early signs of the shift, with advertisements for an e-cigarette and e-liquid wholesale operation already in place. Prior to this, both streets supported diverse retailers, but none focused exclusively on vaping products.
Evolution Over the Years
By May 2018, the change accelerated. Large vape warehouses emerged on Overbridge Street, while about half of one side of Harris Street filled with smaller vape outlets. An e-cigarette center advertised units for lease at the time. The section of Harris Street closer to Bury New Road previously thrived as a center for clothing sellers amid a booming counterfeit trade.
In November 2020, additional vape shops appeared on the Overbridge Road industrial estate, some with updated names. Advertisements for vaping products became more prominent throughout the area. Following Operation Vulcan, which targeted fake designer goods with multiple raids in 2023, vape shops expanded to fill the rest of Harris Street. In April 2023, authorities closed 12 units masquerading as legitimate shops during one such operation.
By the summer of 2023, nearly every unit in the Overbridge Road industrial estate dedicated itself to vapes. Today, vibrant signs and large advertisements line both streets, drawing attention from passersby. The trend extends to nearby Bury New Road, where several new vape shops have opened since the counterfeit market declined.
Regulatory Oversight and Past Issues
Currently, no indications point to illegal activities on these streets. Local trading standards officials in Manchester monitor the influx of vape shops around Harris Street and express no immediate concerns. However, Overbridge Road has faced prior scrutiny from Salford trading standards, including seizures of thousands of counterfeit e-liquids from a warehouse there in 2019 and 2020.
Harris Street has also seen enforcement actions against non-compliant products. On October 10, 2023, officers confiscated around £25,000 worth of potentially hazardous vapes that violated regulations from one retailer. Less than a month later, on November 7, 2023, authorities seized 3,132 counterfeit electronic cigarettes valued at £47,000 from premises on the street.
Legitimate vaping products must meet rigorous safety and quality standards, but unregulated items can endanger public health.
Health Concerns Amid the Boom
This concentration of vape shops arises alongside growing worries about vaping’s health impacts. Research from Manchester Metropolitan University, conducted last year, revealed arterial damage in vapers similar to that in traditional smokers, highlighting potential long-term risks.
