Square stalls debated by committee

Press, 30 October 1981, Page 4

Square stalls debated by committee

Cathedral Square fruit and flower stalls may have to compete for their sites in the future with other proposals for mobile selling places in the city centre. In its continuing debate on how much commercial activity should be allowed in the tiled area of the Square, Christchurch City councillors yesterday said the sites should be up for open tender every three years.Proposals for any kind of activity at the two sites could then be considered. Under the present system, only fruit and flower proposals can be made for the sites.

The clean air and health committee also recommended that there be no further vendor permits for the Square until the use of all inner city public open space could be reviewed. In the future, there could be a demand for mobile stalls in the new City Mall and Victoria Square;, once Victoria Street is closed through that area.

The City Council has been approached by food outlet owners around the Square, who fear that any review of the vendor policy would allow food stalls to come on to the tiled area.

"We are not trying to protect our businesses,” Mr G. D. Hatley, of Toni's Tea and Coffee House, told the committee yesterday. “But we are concerned about them following the same health regulations we do.” Mr Catley said that businesses in the Square had already “spent a great deal of money” to comply with such regulations, and they also paid high rates. Some vendors wanted to come into the Square only for the best part of the summer trading, but established businesses were open all year. It would be difficult' for mobile food vendors to keep their places clean, especially in the face of wind-blown dust, he said. Litter problems could become worse.

Cr .H. A. Clark said there

should be only the two vendor sites already there, “and a realistic rental for that prime property.” “If I had my way, they would pay the same price as the ratepayer,” said the committee chairman, Sir Robert Macfarlane.

If the licence system were extended now, it could be seen as throwing future public open space “up for grabs” for mobile vendors, said Cr C. E. Manning.

Cr A. J. Graham said the Square policy should be so clear and strong that it did not seem like a piecemeal process each time a new proposal came up.

It did not seem as if the original policy of keeping commercial uses out of the redesigned Square was strong enough to keep out the fruit and flower stalls.

Sir Robert said the original policy was designed to discourage vendors that would compete with established Square businesses.