After the Mail published its article ‘New rules hurting vendors’ (busseltonmail, July 7) in relation to the City of Busselton’s new mobile vendor policy, a number of operators contacted the Mail concerned about the new trading terms.
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We took a look at how the city’s new policy stacked up against other local governments in the South West and beyond.
Busselton had the highest number of food trucks with 44 registered in the region, this was twice the number registered in the Augusta Margaret River Shire which had 22, followed by 15 in the City of Mandurah and 12 in the City of Perth.
Busselton also had the highest fee to operate a food truck after implementing its new policy with some permits costing operators up to $3800.
This was followed by AMR which had a fee between $70 and $1500 per year depending on the number of days people traded.
Perth charged its operators $1200 each year, Bunbury charged between $400 and $960 and Mandurah charged $800.
City of Bunbury mayor Gary Brennan said they held Australia Day and Multicultural Night events with food trucks which added to the atmosphere.
Mr Brennan said food trucks were a great community service because they provided food and the main street traders could still enjoy patronage.
“It is another variety and adds to our community, environment and atmosphere, it is great,” he said.
“One of the earlier attempts we had at a food truck night, the food vans actually ran out of food. There were thousands of people that turned up to it, it was a great family thing.
“The permanent traders do not suffer, in fact they can get a spin off from it because people come in from all over to have a great evening.”
Mr Brennan said they recognised a responsibility to care for the permanent traders and acknowledged they also had a business to run, pay overheads and everything that went with running a business.
“But with the food vans, when there are periodic events, it actually augments what the CBD food businesses are doing anyway,” he said.
“It is a different type of meal they provide and different types of foods so they are not directly competing.
“People will still go to those restaurants in the CBD if they like those types of food but the food vans bring in another experience which adds to it. The more competition you have, the better the marketplace is.”
Augusta Margaret River Shire manager of planning and development Nick Logan said permits were issued on an annual basis in fixed locations and they might consider other locations or occasional permits.
Mr Logan said the key objective of their policy was that opportunities for mobile food vans were provided in locations where they enhanced the experience of a particular location.
“So typically popular recreation areas that were not served by other facilities,” he said.
A City of Perth spokesperson said after trials, surveys and stakeholder consultation there was resounding support in the community for food trucks and they responded to that feedback.
The spokesperson said the city developed a mobile food trading policy to balance the needs of bricks and mortar businesses with the community’s desire for food trucks.
“Under the policy, 12 approved operators may trade at approved locations in the city,” the spokesperson said.
In Perth, the operators can trade in four designated locations and must be at least 100 metres away from brick and mortar businesses.
A City of Mandurah spokesperson said food truck operators in its region could trade anywhere that was not restricted or on private land, including land owned by Main Roads.
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