Mobile traders will be second-class business citizens if a proposed bylaw regulating the industry is passed, traders say.
Retaining an existing restriction on trading within 300m of fixed businesses selling ''like-kind'' products and other restrictions stopping mobile trading in parks or reserves without providing any more protected sites for them would be seriously detrimental to their businesses, mainly food truck and trailer operators yesterday told a Dunedin City Council committee hearing submissions on the bylaw.
They said the proposed rules were unfair and out of step with other cities in New Zealand and overseas. Several said they would have to take their business out of Dunedin if the bylaw was passed.
Churros Ole owner Matthew Collier said his business had been so successful to date, he and partner Irene Fuertes were investing $50,000 in a mobile commercial kitchen.
He could not make that money back if the proposed restrictions were implemented and would have to take their business to another town.
Chris Webber, from Dunedin Poultry Processors, with premises in South Dunedin and market stalls, said he was investing $30,000 in a mobile caravan, but the proposed rules could put him out of business.
Huntsman Steakhouse restaurant owner Peter Barron, who also wanted to start up a food van to sell food after 9pm, said he struggled with the concept of the 300m rule and the philosophy behind it.
As a fixed business owner, he had no say in what fixed business moved in next to him on George St, where there were already more than 50 competing food retailers, yet the council wanted to protect fixed businesses from mobile traders.
''It's like there's two classes of citizen in traders in this city - those mobile and those fixed.''
''Is it the council's business to decide who goes where, or is that a matter for individual operators to make a business decision around?''Traders said the definition of ''like-kind'' products was unclear, Several argued mobile traders added to a city's vibrancy and economy.
Stadium Market manager Hannah Scott said many started out as mobile traders with a view to one day having fixed premises.
Kim Morgan, from Tex Otago, said she had not been able to find any evidence mobile traders were stealing business from other businesses.
They did pay fees to lease or use sites.
''We're not asking for carte blanche, but we're asking for some regulations that would allow us to trade fairly. This is restricting healthy free-market competition.''
Otago Museum commercial director Murray Bayly, presenting a counter view, said the museum had just spent $1.6 million upgrading the former Dunedin North post office, only to find a coffee trader some days parked on the lawn next to the new cafe.
Asked by Cr Hilary Calvert if it was not ''a bit rich'' to complain given the museum had known mobile traders could use the reserve, Mr Bayly responded it had been a large investment, and ''at the end of the day, if we could get away with not paying rates, we'd be quite happy''.
He also said he thought other businesses might not realise the intention was to increase the time a mobile trader could operate in one place from two hours to 12 hours.
He believed that raised issues about rubbish and monitoring of mobile traders.
The hearings committee will debate the proposal in public next Monday from 10am.
