At Monday’s council meeting, aldermen said they were against over-regulating Eat Street and recognised its benefits for the community, describing it as a “wonderful, wonderful thing”.  

The proposal allows a maximum of four food vans to operate from Eat Street seven nights a week.

The vans will be unable to have doors opening on to the road and have two months to comply with the new regulation.

The council will now establish a selection criteria for food vans to trade on High Street and call for expressions of interest in February, 2018. 

Expressions will be assessed by a council working group, which will make a recommendation to the council.

Alderman Hugh McKenzie said the council’s proposal, which had an emphasis on safety, was “sensible”.

“We’ve listened to comments made by the food vans that have come in and talked to us, the messages were heard,” Alderman McKenzie said. 

Vans will be able to operate on Eat Street until April, 2018 when the expression of interest period is expected to be finalised.   

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Alderman Rob Soward said the council recognised the “value of what is provided” on High Street.

“If we were going to be negative then we’d probably say it’s been too successful and that’s why it’s grown so fast and created this whole issue,” he said.

“But by golly, what a good issue to have.”

Mayor Albert van Zetten said the new model would provider greater certainty for traders by enabling four spaces to be secured for 12 months. Aldermen Simon Wood and Emma Williams were not at the meeting.