Mobile food trucks – meant to go where customers congregate – are limited to private parking lots in London.
That could change soon as a debate will heat up over whether the trendy food vendors should be permitted on city streets.
City staff are recommending new rules that would allow them to move around the city, parking in metered spots.
The recommendations include:
- Operating only between 7 a.m. and 3 a.m.
- Paying a $1,225 annual licence fee
- Staying 25 meters away from restaurants and residential properties
“With the season already starting, I think it’s important to get the rules in place so we can get out there and move around,” says vendor Chris Bunting.
Not everyone has an appetite to see food trucks on city streets, though.
Covent Garden Market CEO Bob Usher doesn’t like the plan.
“We should not be looking at it and I say that very strongly on behalf of all of our tennants.”
Usher says bricks and mortar eateries contribute to the community. Even only 25 meters away, food trucks would threaten their business.
“The food trucks show up and they split the business. They are not paying taxes,” Usher says.
Existing downtown business owners are split, with some seeing food trucks as a trendy way to attract people downtown and others viewing them as unfair competition.
“We have many different level players with many different interests. Some are for; some are against. We really need to walk a fine line,” says Downtown London executive director Janette MacDonald.
The community and protective services committee will debate food trucks on Monday.
