Local food truck owner Michael Athanatos was initially optimistic about extending the trading permit for his family-owned business, Taste of Cyprus, at Green Gully Reserve.
He’d just finished a successful one-month trial period at the site in mid-November and contacted contacted Brimbank council to ask what the next steps would be for trading.
He said he was verbally told his permit would be approved to operate at the site for another year.
However, days later he received an email saying the permit could not be renewed for the Green Gully Reserve site due to an official objection received by council to the selling of hot food at the location.
In an email seen by Star Weekly, council said “the grounds for objection were considered by management and were found to be valid”.
Mr Athanatos was not provided with any additional details as to what the objection was about.
“At the moment we’re closed … It is frustrating because it doesn’t just affect me as a business but the staff I’m hiring as well,” Mr Athanatos said.
“For me it was just excuses … It feels like the council doesn’t even care about small businesses. If I was a different person, I’d give up.”
Mr Athanatos said he’d worked hard to build customer loyalty in the area.
“I bring people to the area at the same time … We’ve got great local support,” he said.
The local community quickly rallied behind Taste of Cyprus, with a petition receiving more than 340 signatures to help the business stay at Green Gully Reserve.
On social media, locals also shared their support.
One commenter wrote, “you can’t catch a break. Keep going! You’ve got this and we will continue supporting”.
The business has previously provided struggling families with free souvlakis during the Covid lockdown period and cost of living crisis.
“I do give back to the community,” Mr Athanatos said.
“Reconsider. At least give us a chance, at least for a year.”
Council declined to comment, citing privacy regulations restricting it from commenting on the status of individual applications.
Council confirmed it had not formally received a petition on the matter.
