“Devoured by food outlets”: Residents have come out swinging against mobile food vendors, warning they will be the death of Harris Park.
Rubbish, cigarette butts, soiled baby nappies and the scent of urine – this is what food trucks and their customers are leaving behind in Little India, Harris Park, according to some residents.
During the latest Parramatta Council meeting, frustrated residents spoke against Council’s recent decision to write to the NSW Government to amend legislation and allow mobile food trucks and food stalls on Marion Street, Station Street East and Wigram Street to operate until 10pm.
Harris Park local Dr David Dilley said he often finds litter from food trucks in his front yard and on the street.
“Discarded food containers with leftovers, cigarette butts, the occasional soiled baby nappy and other detritus emptied from cars,” he said.
“There is the occasional waft of stale urine, and on one memorable morning, a pile of faeces to which no species of dogs could ever lay claim.”
Business owners in ‘Little India’ want a fair go. Photo: Melinda Jane.
Dilley added that many businesses in Harris Park have been devoured by food outlets and that some residents fed up with the noise and rubbish have opted to move away from the suburb.
“The mental stress caused by these, amongst other issues, is such that some residents have chosen to move away from the area,” he said.
“Some may see this as an appropriate solution to these issues, but it will be the death of Harris Park as the lack of economic variety and the exodus of residents creates an area that is increasingly deserted by day and increasingly noxious by night.”
Agreeing with Dilley, Seema Dhawan, a Harris Park businesswoman, said Council has been told “one side of the story, hiding the ugly side”.
“I wake up to one such food truck every morning, the smell of oil fumes, constant humming of exhaust fans, noise of the dinning crowd, music and constant yells ‘your order is ready’ are a part of my daily experience now,” she added.
“Make no mistake: a food truck restaurant might come up in your backyard overnight and there is nothing you can do about it.
“We simply want to live in a peaceful and clean environment, as any resident of this country deserves.”
But Little India Harris Park Business Association (LIHPBA) President Sanjay Deshwal said over 400 people have signed a petition supporting mobile food vendors staying open until 10pm in Little India.
He’s hopeful an amicable solution can be found for both the small business owners, some of whom have copped fines of up to $24,000 for staying open past 7pm, and the residents.
“These small businesses have been very proactive in establishing the Little India precinct as one of the most happening places for national and international tourism in greater western Sydney,” he said.
“Residents and small businesses can co-exist.”
Photo: Melinda Jane.
Speaking in support of food trucks and carts, Dr Yadu Singh slammed the Council for bringing back the matter to the Chamber in an attempt to rescind the July 8 decision to write to the NSW Government.
“Residents from streets outside the Little India precinct may not wish to have these businesses in Harris Park… but that does not mean the Little India precinct should disappear from Harris Park,” he said.
“The rescission motion is therefore a tactic to derail and delay the motion of 8th of July in favour of Little India precinct businesses and continue to cause uncertainty and stress, mental ill health for these businesses.
“This is cruel and unkind.”
Deputy Lord Mayor Patricia Prociv, who brought back the matter to Council by way of a rescission motion, said she did it so Harris Park residents could have their say.
“These residents deserve to be able to have an amenity in the same way that all the owners of the restaurants of Harris Park can leave Harris Park and go home,” she said.
“They get to sit out on their back veranda, they get to enjoy that, but the residents of Harris Park do not.”
Prociv ultimately withdrew the rescission motion, saying she would revisit the issue once a response was received from the NSW Government.
“[To] the food truck owners of Harris Park: you may not particularly care about the impact you’re having on the residents, but you will know about it… it will be a decision made by you not in ignorance,” she added.
Prociv also tabled two petitions, including one from Harris Park restaurant owners opposing food trucks and carts operating past 7pm.
“The extended food operating hours for food carts are damaging the healthy competition in Harris Park, the aggressive behaviour of some food cart operators towards other has created a hostile environment that is driving families away from visiting our area,” it said.
“This not only affects the livelihood of restaurant owners, but also tarnishes the reputation of Harris Park as welcoming and vibrant dining destination.”
The other called on Council to remove the ‘Welcome to Little India’ signs in Harris Park.
“The current signs are detrimental to the look of the area,” the petition, which has so far been signed by over 100 people, reads.
“The current signs are unsightly, unnecessarily large, gaudy, and detract from the streetscape.”
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