Draft policy examines expanding list of Albany trading locations for food vans and mobile vendors

Food lovers may soon be treated to more food vans across Albany as the City considers expanding its list of approved trading sites. Policy changes designed to allow food vans to trade at more Albany locations will be considered by the City’s council this month. Draft updates to the City’s Trading in Public Places policy will be tabled at this month’s council meeting and include adding seven new sites to the list of eight already approved fixed trading locations for mobile food vendors. The list of additions would include sites at the Lower King boat ramp, in the forts carpark, near Lakeside Park in McKail, in the Chipana Drive public carpark in Little Grove, near Lower King bridge, at the end of Anzac Road in Mira Mar and on Stirling Terrace East. The proposed site on Stirling Terrace East would be limited to trading between 10pm and 3am on Friday and Saturdays, and into Sunday morning. Trading hours for the other six proposed sites would be limited to between 7am and 6pm, which is in line with the eight already endorsed locations. An approved location in Centennial Park would also move from near the intersection of Sanford and North roads, to near the intersection of Lockyer Avenue and North Road. Other proposed changes to the policy, which was introduced in 2009 and last updated in 2020, include extra detail about what is expected of all those trading in public places and extra detail in conditions for alfresco dining. The council will consider the draft policy at the committee level on Wednesday before determining whether to endorse it for advertising at its ordinary meeting scheduled for December 19. The officer’s report prepared for the council outlines the changes that have been proposed because there are “a number of key matters which are consistently raised regarding this policy which will benefit from clarification and refinement in the form of a revised policy”. It also outlines the amendments that have been proposed to reduce the impact on bricks and mortar businesses, clarify operational requirements and make reference to community interest. The report states mobile food vendors can increase vibrancy, activate underutilised public places, provide passive surveillance and create opportunities for small businesses to establish themselves. “However, it is important to ensure that mobile food vehicles operate in a way which complements existing food businesses and do not unfairly compete with the City’s existing bricks and mortar businesses,” it states. “This is also the primary issue most frequently raised by the community, which is intended to be further addressed by the proposed updates to the policy.” Restrictions that limit mobile traders from operating within a large swathe of central Albany will remain in place under the new policy.