Mayor grants reprieve for doughnut vendor

22 August 2008

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has offered a last-minute reprieve to Central City doughnut vendor Darryl Duncan.

Mr Parker says the doughnut van is a well-known attraction in City Mall and given public feeling about the situation, it would be a shame to lose him.

Mr Duncan’s licence to sell food and beverages from his mobile vending caravan in City Mall was due to expire at the end of this month. As a result of consultation on the planned revitalisation of the mall, Mr Duncan had previously been advised that his licence would not be renewed and mobile vendors would no longer be located in the mall.

However, Mr Parker says a clear message came through from the public in the past week that they wanted Mr Duncan to stay.

“The people ofChristchurch have spoken and we have listened,” Mr Parker says. “With so many people telling us they wanted the doughnut van to stay, we decided we had to make it happen.”

“I spoke with Mr Duncan last night and offered him a deal that means he can stay in the mall for now, and he accepted the offer,” Mr Parker says.

Mr Duncan’s licence will be extended a further 12 months based on his current terms and conditions, and accepting that as construction on the City Mall revitalisation proceeds he may be relocated within the mall from time to time.

The Council is reviewing its present policies on vendor licences in public places and this will be completed by June 2009. Mr Duncan will have the opportunity, as will other parties, to participate in this process. 

He has been advised that the review may conclude that no vendors will remain in the mall, and if so his licence will terminate. If the review concludes that vendors will remain, he will need to tender along with any other prospective vendors. There are no priority rights associated with his operation.

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