THERE has been a subtle but intriguing tug-of-war taking place.
It surfaced after Whanganui food vendors were called "a hot dog on a stick" by the NZ Masters Games chief.
A derogatory term and, not surprisingly, it touched a nerve, prompting a terse response from those on the receiving end.
Tensions had been brewing since Mainstreet brought in out-of-town vendors to run a once-a-month food festival.
That added vibrancy and culture and Mainstreet is to be congratulated. But the absence of local vendors was an underlying unease.