Harvard Kicks Out The Vendors

Harvard's gradual eviction of vendors from Forbes Plaza in front of Holyoke Center reached its final stage this week, as Donald C. Moulton, assistant vice president for community and government affairs, announced that vendors would no longer be allowed to sell wares at the plaza.

The reason for the final phaseout--the University originally had no limit on the number of vendors but then installed a six-permit-per-day system last summer--William K. Pinkerton, who directs Harvard's bicentennial activities, said yesterday was an expected increase in foot traffic caused by bicentennial activities in Cambridge.

The city of Cambridge last month placed its bicentennial headquarters in the Holyoke Center Arcade, and Pinkerton said "thoughts about what happens if you have a lot of people milling around the plaza," caused the University to eliminate its permit plan.

Pinkerton, said the University could not afford to postpone its decision until the bicentennial officially begins because he said it was necessary to provide now for when ever people start to turn up in Cambridge.

Pinkerton said the University could have scaled down the number of permits again, rather than scrapping them totally.

But he said "to cut down to two permits is awkward and would not help anybody. There are far more applicants than permits."

Moulton said this week that "No one depends entirely on Forbes Plaza to earn a living."

"It was entirely a Harvard decision," Pinkerton said. "There was no sense that there was any input from local merchants."

Pinkerton said that April 19 celebrations commemorating the 200th anniversary of the battle of Concord, will serve as an indication for future crowd levels at Forbes Plaza.

He said he does not know "how you could have any circumstance" to bring vendors back to the plaza if smaller crowds than anticipated congregate at the plaza.