TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA – Tasmanian’s Hospitality Association said it was monitoring the impact of food trucks on fixed businesses.

“We’re happy to have initiatives like the food vans but they need to have their restrictions,” chief executive Steve Old said.

“If they don’t want to have their restrictions they need to pay the same rates, they need to have toilets, they need to have wash basins they need to have everything else every other business in the hospitality industry is expected to have.”

Mr Old said the council had been swift to deal with problems.

“You tend to find that some of the food vans creep into areas that they’re not meant to be and times they’re not meant to be,” he said.

“What we’ve got to remember is they’re running a business in competition with some of these other businesses that are the highest rate payers in the Hobart municipality.”

The Hobart City Council commissioned an independent survey into food truck trial program.

Generally most traders were supportive, but some flagged concerns:

“I don’t think they should be allowed anywhere near the CBD.”

“We employ 10 people with rates and high rent, and these guys just pay for a permit for the same thing we do.”

“They get free rent and get to undercut prices.”

Hobart City Council said it would review its food truck policy in a year.

Find the entire article at abc.net.au [here]