Eden tradition clamped

Jackson Lester was told he couldn't have his sign out on the road. Photo / Jason Dorday

It's a local tradition: if there's a big game on at Eden Park, kids will make a quick buck by charging people $10 or $15 to park cars in their parents' back yards.

But in recent months Auckland Council officers have been scouting the neighbourhoods, telling the locals they're not allowed to have signs out on the footpath advertising the service.

And if you want to run a sausage sizzle for Rugby World Cup punters, think again - legislation prevents any "street trading" within the "clean" areas around event stadiums.

Mayor Len Brown said: "I am confident that within the bounds of the Major Events Management Act commonsense will be shown."

But two weeks ago, council officers visited Marlborough Ave resident Bruce Gibson and his son Leon, 13, before the Blues vs Waratahs game.

"They said we couldn't put the sandwich board out on the footpath, which we've done for many years."

Instead, Gibson could put the sign in his car on his property. "That's bulls***," he said.

Jackson Lester, 17, also lives on the street.

Late last year he was parking cars and hosting a sausage sizzle to fundraise for his cricket team when council officers visited and told him it was a no-no.

"It's pretty ridiculous really."

His father Grant said having the locals doing the carparking provided a service.

Daniel Batcheler, 14, has also been told not to put signs out.

"We lose a bit of money because you can't really see the sign when it's on our property."

Auckland Transport spokesman Wally Thomas said if residents wanted to charge for parking on their property, that was over to them. But technically, operating a car park within the residential zone was not permitted.

If council decided a particular site was creating a safety issue for pedestrians then action would be taken "to cease the operation of the car park by the Auckland Council", he said.

For the Rugby World Cup, vehicles entering or exiting restricted areas around Eden Park will need a visitors' pass. Those without a resident's pass will be denied entry, so residents won't be able to charge punters unless they have a pass.

Sausage sizzles were also banned - only official sponsors were allowed to trade or advertise within a designated 500m "clean space" near venues. IRB Rugby World Cup general manager Ross Young said: "It's part of the World Cup experience to have a clean and uncluttered platform for the sponsors.

"We're by no means trying to be draconian, it's trying to create that whole World Cup experience round the stadium.

"We're not trying to ban all sausage sizzles in New Zealand, we're thinking about the area directly around the venues."

Council spokesman Glyn Walters said "generally speaking, people can't operate a food business on public land without a street trading licence.

"Of course council recognises that people enjoy fundraising sausage sizzles and we generally take a relaxed, common sense approach."