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IN PHOTO: A taquero chops pork meat at a taco stand during an Eat Mexico tour in Mexico City October 18, 2013. Founded in 2010, Eat Mexico is the only culinary tour operator that focuses exclusively on street food and markets providing an opportunity for tourists to approach dishes ranging from traditional tamales to tacos. Organised in small groups, the tourists have the chance to learn more from local culture and culinary traditions in the city, according to organisers. Picture taken October 18, 2013. REUTERS/Tomas Bravo

On Wednesday, the Adelaide city council voted to go ahead with public consultation on a proposal to increase the distance between mobile food vendors and other fixed food businesses to 50 metres. It also suggested an increase in vendor fees after 12 months in operation, from $2000 to $2400.

According to the ABC , doubling the distances would rule out most of the squares in Adelaide’s city centre for these mobile food vendors. However, Deputy Mayor Houssam Abiad seemed to think otherwise, insisting that any change in the distance would not affect at least Victoria Square, and that any mobile vendor willing to strike up a partnership with the fixed businesses would be able to operate within the 50-metre radius.

Mr Abiad said that the proposal was made in an attempt to mend ties between mobile food vendors and fixed businesses. On one hand, "if they are engaged and they have a successful relationship or partnership with those businesses they can operate within the 50m radius and that would not be a problem," he said.

On the other hand, if mobile food vendors wanted to compete with the fixed businesses present in the area but paid lesser rent for space, then they would need to respect the 50 metre radius, he said.

While Mr Abiad agreed that the changes would slightly impact the vendors, he was quick to point out that the vendors have been capitalising on the space provided to them. “We need to find a balance between fixed businesses in the city of Adelaide and the floating mobile food vendors," he told the ABC.

Mr Abiad says that this move would in fact help new entrepreneurs set up their own businesses where they can first run a mobile site and then think of setting up a fixed one. He proposed that there would be added benefits for the start-ups such as discounted rates for the first year.

However, Adelaide City Councillor Robert Simms voted against the motion, saying the proposed changes would have a negative impact on the city's vibrancy. He insisted that the 50m distance gap wouldn’t work out well, especially in Adelaide and claimed that the squares in the city would turn into dead zones .

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