The Kebizza food truck has become a fixture in front of the Methven Information Centre and has been allowed to remain in place even when closed - until now.
The Ashburton District Council passed the Trading in Public Places Bylaw, which confirmed where and how food truck owners can operate, and as part of these changes food trucks are required to be moved off site when not trading.
Mitesh was disappointed the council asked him to move his truck as he is based in Tinwald and had a contract from the council to operate as they had been until 2023.
‘‘We have been operating in Methven for 14 months,’’ Mitesh said.
‘‘It is not easy to move the trailer everyday, especially when working by yourself.’’
Mitesh said council contacted him saying there had been a complaint that his food truck was staying on location each night and issued instructions to remove the food truck at the close of business each night.
Mitesh said he has had a good relationship with the hospitality businesses in Methven, and the information centre where his food truck is located.
‘‘No other businesses have had a problem with my caravan being there permanently,’’ he said.
Mitesh closes around 10pm then has a couple of hours clean up and officially can be open again at 8.30am.
‘‘Why do we need to move our trailer overnight? I’m not doing any advertising, I just open the door, sell food and close the door, I follow all the rules,’’ he said
Mitesh and Dhara contacted the council to ask for permission to keep their food truck at the location when closed.
Council group manager strategy and compliance Jane Donaldson replied: ‘‘The purpose of the bylaw is to allow mobile shops and stalls in some locations and subject to conditions. The aim is to provide variety for the public, but also to not disadvantage food operators with shops who have to pay overheads. Your caravan seems to have become permanent and this has drawn complaints from other operators who have questioned why you are not operating from a shop, and that your operation can hardly be described as ‘mobile’ when you leave the caravan on site 24/7.’’
Donaldson said the Kebizza food truck owner had also requested extended trading hours.
‘‘Extended trading hours across the district were included in the recent Trading in Public Places Bylaw review and adopted by council, currently in effect.
‘‘The Kebizza food truck owner has been given a month’s grace period from being notified, to find a suitable place to park his food truck overnight,’’ she said.
-By Daniel Tobin
