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A new coffee caravan at Piha Beach has been shut down by the Waitakere City Council because it has no food licence and may need a resource consent.
It was launched at the weekend by camping ground operator Fiona Anderson, who said it would fill a public need, at the north of the beach during the day and at the camping ground down the road after 4pm.
But her move upset supporters of a resource consent bid to build a cafe nearby led by television celebrity Marc Ellis and his surfing mates.
Yesterday, council environmental compliance manager Alan Ahmu said Ms Anderson could not trade without a food licence.
He said a resource consent might be needed for the caravan, which has been dubbed "The Big Wave" because of its shape.
It could be regarded as a stall rather than a mobile shop if it were parked all day on one spot, Mr Ahmu said.
Last night, Ms Anderson said: "I didn't have all my ducks in a row."
She said she had applied for a mobile shop licence before the launch, but had not yet received it.
"But I already have a certified food premises at the camping ground and I'm not going to need a resource consent because I have the permission of the owner of the land, which once had tearooms."
