Perth businesses are the latest to raise their concerns about the growing number of pop-up venues and food trucks.
The ABC has reported that operators in the suburb of Northbridge are rallying against The City of Perth’s strategy of using pop-ups to activate different precincts.
Northbridge Brewing Company part-owner Michael Keiller told the ABC, "When they're being set up on critical trading nights for bricks and mortar type venues, then it's not an even playing field,” he said.
"We're all for activation of deep spaces and things like that. If they want to set up in the cultural centre on a Tuesday or a Wednesday night, no problem.
"But when it starts to become more than just the odd occasion on Friday and Saturday nights, the ratepayers, the people who are employing people 52 weeks of the year, deserve some consideration.
"There's just not the population to sustain all these different types of things.
"The number and the frequency of these pop-up type events that are competing with the existing traders needs to be looked at."
In May, Restaurant & Catering Australia raised similar concern about the rise of food trucks in Adelaide City, calling on the Weatherill government to restrict the number of permits, operating hours and style of food sold by food truck operators.
While R&CA recommended placing restrictions on food trucks, Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods suggested changing laws to allow permanent venues to utilise alfresco areas.
"Relaxing the rules to allow full-time hospitality venues, bars and pubs to be able to mix drinks serve drinks, prepare drinks and dispense drinks in alfresco areas makes perfect sense," he told the ABC.
"On the other side however, the preparation of food and the manufacturing of food should be contained to the commercial kitchens."
The City of Perth council voted on Tuesday night to prepare a report about alfresco dining laws, according to the ABC.
