A Taste of Mascot foodie festival cancelled

THE popular annual foodie event A Taste of Mascot has been cancelled following fighting about where it should be held.

Former Masterchef winner Andy Allen at the Taste Of Mascot food festival in Bourke St in 2015. The 2018 event has been cancelled. Picture: Daniel Aarons

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THE popular annual foodie event A Taste of Mascot has been cancelled.

In July Bayside Council said officers were working towards a late October early November date with former MasterChef winner Adam Liaw and My Kitchen Rules twins Helena and Vikki Moursellas expected to make appearances.

However, last week the council confirmed the event had been cancelled this year and will not return until spring 2019.

Twins Vikki and Helena Moursellas were expected to appear at this year’s event. Picture Jay Town.

The event, which features dozens of food and drink stalls as well as live entertainment, was originally held in Bourke St since its began in 2014.

Bayside Council moved it to Mascot Memorial Park in a bid to save money but the location change was criticised with claims it lost its vibrant street food atmosphere.

Following the intervention of Heffron state Labor MP Ron Hoenig, the council voted to return the event to Bourke St this year, despite opposition from the council’s events’ team.

Councillors voted earlier this year for the event to return to Bourke St, Mascot.

But in a statement last week the council said “police and security requirements” had made the Bourke St location “unworkable”.

A council spokesman said the details were confidential.

Nearby Linear Park was identified as the back-up location.

However, the council spokesman said Sydney Water works in the park were taking longer than anticipated so the event would be cancelled this year.

State MP for Heffron Ron Hoenig has said council officers have too much control. Picture: John Appleyard

He said next year’s event was planned for Linear Park.

“A Taste of Mascot is still very much on the events calendar and council looks forward to growing the event not only for the local community, but for all food lovers, and to show case what Bayside has to offer,” the spokesman said.

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Mr Hoenig, who has previously claimed unelected council staff have too much power over decisions at Bayside, repeated his concerns yesterday.

“I warned the council publicly that staff would obstruct the festival,” he said.

“The Bayside bureaucracy are out of control.”