Hot Dog Inc owner Nicholas Cantaro, who has been operating on the lakefront for more than seven years, is one of 11 stallholders allowed to trade in the Mall or upper Beach St.
Although councillors decided in March to continue a 12-month ban on trading on the lakefront, and to extend the ban to other previously permitted areas in the town centre, the stallholders can continue operating until their approvals expire over the next 12 months.
Mr Cantaro, whose approval expires in November, said the situation was ‘‘unfair’’ on permanent businesses in the Mall, who were paying through the nose to rent their premises.
Also the Mall is much narrower than the lakefront, so customers queuing at stalls are sometimes obstructing passers-by.
However, he was hopeful meetings between stallholders and council staff last month would eventually lead to a better approach for managing the activity.
‘‘They were collecting feedback, they were listening to people, they were looking for a solution together — as council should’ve done from the beginning.’’
Although he thought the lakefront was still the best location, he believed there were many other locations in the town centre suitable for food stalls that would not affect other businesses or cause congestion.
He said the council created a ‘‘mess’’ by issuing permits on demand, without any restriction on numbers.
It had also failed to take enforcement action against some stallholders who had been blatantly flouting the rules,
he said.
A council spokesman confirmed staff met stallholders last month to discuss alternative options for managing the activity.
‘‘Three separate small group discussions were held with stallholders, and we provided an opportunity for online feedback.
‘‘QLDC staff also met with other stakeholders with an interest in this matter.’’
Councillors were told in March the number of lakefront stallholders increased significantly after Covid-19 lockdowns were lifted, and no limit was placed on the number of permits issued.
The staff report said unlawful trading by authorised traders and new, unauthorised operators, had persisted.
Many complaints were received about ‘‘congestion, obstructed access, visual amenity degradation, litter, food safety concerns, equity issues, and non-compliance with conditions in the [Activities in Public Places] bylaw’’.
Although councillors voted to continue clamping down on stallholders, they directed staff to consider alternative ‘‘interventions, tools and approaches’’ for managing the issue.
Staff will report back to councillors at a workshop on July 28.
