The ban on food stalls at the lakefront will take effect on April 17. Photo: Guy Williams/ODTFood stalls will be banned from the Queenstown lakefront after the district council voted on measures to deal with public health concerns, litter and traders blocking footpaths. Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) monitoring showed there were often between six and 22 stalls on a 150-metre stretch of the lakefront despite a requirement for stalls to be 50m apart. All nine pop-up food stalls inspected by the council last year had issues with basic safety requirements including lack of hand-washing facilities, poor temperature control and inadequate food storage. Heath Copland said while he enjoyed the vibe the stallholders brought to the lakefront, he backed the council staff.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 19, 2026 04:32 UTC