A quick, honest update on WestSide Food Truckers at 300 West Laneway.
After working through the site compliance with Hastings District Council, the carpark management requirements — mixed public, leased and private parking — sit outside what can be delivered by a community-run event organiser. Rather than push ahead under-resourced, the event is being paused.
The concept is strong. The interest from food trucks, retailers and council was real. It just needs a delivery model with more authority over the site than a community organiser can bring.
Where It Got To
Over the planning period, the event lined up 10+ food trucks, multiple retail hat-deal partners, and confirmed retailers staying open late. The format was set: last Thursday of every month, 5–7pm, in the laneway behind 300 West. Launch was scheduled for 25 June 2026.
Why The Pause
The site itself — 300 West Laneway — is a great location. It's sheltered, accessible, with room for trucks and the foot traffic to back them. The food truck and retail community got behind the idea quickly. Hastings District Council were engaged and constructive throughout.
What sat outside what we could deliver was the carpark management. The wider site involves a mix of public carparking, leased spaces and privately held parking — managing all of that across an event night requires authority over the site that a community organiser doesn't have. Pushing ahead without that would have meant running the event under-resourced, with real risk to operators, neighbours and visitors. That's not a fair trade.
The concept is strong.
The delivery model
needs more authority.
What Happens Now
- Council has been informed. The door is open for them to lead a future version of this, with the site authority that comes with that.
- Larger event companies welcome. If an established operator wants to pick this up with the right resourcing, the planning work is here to build from.
- Food trucks who registered: you've been emailed directly. Thank you for your interest and patience.
- Retailers and hat-deal partners: the same — thank you for backing it.
- If it's revived, everyone who was involved or signed up will hear about it.
Thank You
Genuinely — to every food truck operator, every retailer, every council officer, and everyone in the WestSide community who got behind this. The interest was real and the support was generous. That part is worth saying out loud, even when the answer for now is not yet.
— Ryan · WestSide