Queenstown’s councillors reckon there’s a place for street food traders in the town centre, but want a better location and a new recipe for managing the activity. Discussing the issue at a council workshop this week, councillor Melissa White said they needed a better location that ensured an “even playing field” between stallholders and existing businesses. She wanted higher charges and stricter rules, including a limited number of permits and restrictions on the days and times they could operate. “I would be totally for it if there were two food markets a week or something … just not a free-for-all, all the time.” Councillors decided in March to continue a 12-month ban on food stalls trading on the lakefront, and to extend the ban to other parts of the town centre. The decision came in response to a staff report citing concerns about persistent unlawful trading, congestion, littering, food safety, spoiling of views and impacts on nearby businesses. About a dozen stallholders who applied for permits before the March decision have been allowed to continue trading in Queenstown Mall and upper Beach St until their permits expire. Meanwhile, council staff have been looking at alternative ways to manage the activity, including having meetings with more than 20 stallholders in May. Councillors agreed at Tuesday’s workshop that the waterfront, Queenstown Mall and Beach St were the wrong locations. They discussed the pros and cons of two potential alternative sites on public land — the pocket park on the corner of Stanley and Shotover Sts, and a strip of pavement between the Village Green and Athol St. Cr Samuel Belk said if they got it wrong, they were inviting more complaints from businesses or even legal challenges. “If I’m a restaurant owner paying rates, rent, charges and insurance, and all of a sudden there’s a stall across from me selling gyoza or oysters or something . . . I might decide to take on council.” Staff have been directed to report back with detailed options on preferred sites, the level of charges and permit numbers — a decision’s expected by the end of the year. guy.williams@scene.co.nz
