ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – The number of food trucks in the CBD is set to be reduced and permit fees for operators increased after an Adelaide City Council committee voted to support the changes.

The total number of food trucks permits would be cut to 30 from 40, and fees would increase to $2500 per year, which could be paid in monthly instalments or one transaction.

The permit fee will rise in line with inflation each financial year.

The changes were approved at Tuesday’s Economic and Community Development Committee.

The current fee structure for mobile food vendors ranges from $100 for a ten-day permit up to $1000 to trade for six months over the Summer period.

Lord Mayor Martin Haese said the new rules achieved a better compromise between food truck operators and bricks-and-mortar businesses.

“Finding a compromise isn’t going to please everyone but I think we have got a better balance (with the changes),” he said.

“And most importantly we have simplified the system.”

Mr Haese said he believed food trucks were not significantly diluting the market.

A council-commission report has previously stated all food trucks only collect about $600,000 in revenue, or about 0.15 per cent of the city market.

“I’m convinced that (food truck revenue) is in the vicinity of this,” Mr Haese said.

But Councillor Sandy Wilkinson said the changes did not go far enough and food truck operators were still being provided with an advantage over bricks-and-mortar businesses.

Find the entire article at adelaidenow.com.au [here]