Mobile food vendors could soon be given greater access to Wagga’s CBD, with Wagga Council set to vote on reviewing the current restrictions in place for temporary food sites. Photo: VioletaStoimenova.
Temporary food sites could soon have greater access to Wagga’s CBD, with the council set to vote on reviewing the current limitations on mobile food vendors.
The vote follows a notice of motion (NoM) put forward by councillor Richard Foley, which aims to revive the nightlife in the city by offering mobile food vendors the opportunity to operate more frequently and closer to the centre of town.
The NoM requests that Wagga Wagga City Council (WWCC) conduct a report to “undertake a targeted review of the Mobile Food Vendor Trading in Public Places (Parks and Reserves) Policy with a view to modernising the policy to better support public space activation, small business participation, and flexible low-cost business opportunities”.
Cr Foley said the reasoning behind his NoM came from the difficulties small food businesses had making a foothold in Wagga’s CBD due to high rental costs, ultimately leading to quiet nights on what should be Wagga’s busiest street.
“The commercial rents are astronomical, and they’re not coming down,” Cr Foley said.
“It’s difficult for innovators or entrepreneurs to actually get themselves out there, because the rental costs are too oppressive.
“We also need to start activating the night economy for areas like the Victory Memorial Gardens, for instance. It’s so close to the main street, but there’s no food business close by after a certain time.
“I mean, good luck getting a feed after 9 pm most nights!”
Cr Foley said he was confident that if mobile food vendors were given the chance to operate regularly within the CBD, more people would be encouraged to engage with Wagga’s nightlife.
“We need to look at ways we can sort of invigorate the economy,” he said.
“Wagga, I believe has got a very good culture of people who support food outlets. But unfortunately due to the leasing market, not just commercially, it’s astronomically out of reach to the point where it’s becoming oppressive.
“It’s beginning to stifle business, which ultimately harms the growth of the city. I think we need to start experimenting ways to reignite these businesses instead of telling people what they can’t do, and instead give them a list of options of things they can do.
“I think allowing mobile food vendors to operate is one of those ways.”
While councillors will still have to vote on whether WWCC even conducts a review, Cr Foley has listed a couple of areas around town he would like to see activated.
“The Victory Memorial Gardens is the obvious one,” he said.
“We’ve seen it work for Festival of W and things like that, so that makes a lot of sense.
“The other spots would be down near the information centre, near the CSU Playhouse and Wagga Beach, which I know already has a couple of vans operating during the day.”
Councillors will vote on whether the review is conducted at Monday night’s (19 January) ordinary meeting.
