Starting from June, Wrocław's food trucks will have the legal permission to trade at selected locations within the city centre.
The food truck fashion has been in full flow in Wrocław for a few years now, but the city had long shown little interest in facilitating the growth of this new market sector.
However the 'cool factor' of food trucks, which has yet to show any signs of waning, appears to have convinced the city to finally embrace the trend and the tourism benefits it can bring.
Some of Wrocław's most popular restaurants have of course come on the back of food truck success, namely Pasibus, Niezły Dym, Panczo, Bratwursty and Osiem Misek.
According to wroclaw.pl, the following zones will be opened up to food trucks in June:
- Wyspa Słodowa
- Bożego Ciała street
- Promenada Staromiejska (J. Słowackiego street and Podwale street)
- Kazimierza Wielkiego street (nr 9) / Ruska street
- corner of św. Katarzyny/Jana Ewangelisty Purkyniego
- nearby Panormama Racławicka
- north side of Księcia Witolda street by the University bridge
- Garncarska street and pl. Polski
The news will naturally be received warmly by some food truck owners, who now have the opportunity to set up shop in some handy locations.
However, those running the trucks will need to play by the rules if they want to take advantage of the scheme.
Under the proposals published by the city council, food truck owners will have to register their interest in trading at a particular zone on a particular day. If there are many applications, a so called "lottery" will take place to decide who gets a spot where. A charge of 0,50-0,80 zł per square metre of the vehicle will also apply. On top of that, food trucks ugly enough to be considered a blight on the landscape may find their applications rejected.