Sorrento Chamber of Commerce bid to cancel food truck permit for Peninsula Fresh Seafood
A food fight is brewing in Sorrento as traders threaten to block a “rival” from doing business in their town.
South East
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Angry traders are threatening to blockade a Mornington Peninsula town over a decision to allow a food truck on the foreshore.
The Sorrento Chamber of Commerce has vowed to step in to stop a rival business from selling fresh fish in the front beach car park.
President Marco Pietrantonio said traders were furious about a council decision to grant a year-round food truck permit to another Mornington Peninsula fresh fish business.
He said it would put a local trader, who had been selling fresh fish in the town for about ten years, out of business.
“If we need to organise a blockade to stop this happening, that’s what we’ll do,” Mr Pietrantonio said.
“We stick together.”
The chamber has called on Mornington Peninsula Shire to cancel the permit granted to Peninsula Fresh Seafood.
“If this is not done you leave us with no choice than to lead a series of protests and blockades to this food truck,” Mr Pietrantonio said in an email to shire chief executive John Baker.
“Businesses in Sorrento are feeling abandoned by the Shire already and we will not let one of our traders suffer because of poor decision by your organisation.”
Seafood on George owner Nick Tate said allowing a rival trader to operate nearby would likely force him to shut up shop.
“It costs me $100,000 a year just to open the doors,” he said.
“The council has basically given a competitor the same opportunity for a $10,000 permit.”
He said while the extra competition could be managed during peak season, it was “impossible” during winter.
Mr Tate welcomed the support from other traders.
“This could happen to any of us,” he said.
“It’s not just about my business.”
Peninsula Fresh Seafood has a shop front as part of its Dromana factory and also sells fresh fish from the foreshore food trucks at Hastings and Safety Beach and in Flinders behind a surf shop.
On Wednesday the business announced on social media that it was adding Sorrento to the line up and would be selling fish on Thursdays and Saturdays opposite 3239 Point Nepean Road all year round.
“We are genuinely excited by this opportunity to bring you fresh seafood that has been cut and prepared right here on the peninsula,” the business posted.
A Mornington Peninsula Shire spokesman said the council “carefully considered existing businesses” when choosing locations for mobile vendors.
“In Sorrento, we chose a spot well away from the Ocean Beach Road shopping strip,” they said.
“There is more than half a kilometre between the permit location and the start of the Sorrento commercial area and almost a kilometre between the two seafood businesses.”
The second seafood business is a fish and chip shop.
The council overhauled its food truck policy in 2022 with major changes including extra locations, three year permits and set fees for each site.
Previously permits were only given for 12 months and a controversial silent auction determined permit fees.