The Christmas tradition of Cookie Time street sales has hit a speed bump this year after local Masterton seller Gussie Rutherford was told she couldn’t sell on the side of the road.
Rutherford was approached by an NZTA representative earlier this week and told to move along from her prime spot outside The Warehouse on Chapel St.
The NZTA official, who did not give their name, told her that she couldn’t be parked on or near the footpath.
The Warehouse location had proven to be a successful sales spot for Rutherford, with people stopping for cookies after going shopping at the big box retailer, and had been used in past years by other Cookie Time sellers without attracting the attention of NZTA.
When Rutherford asked the NZTA representative why she had to move when other stalls were set up along the side of the road, she was told that they were off the path.
“But they’re not really, so I think it’s a bit unfair that they can and I can’t,” Rutherford said.
An NZTA spokesperson told the Times-Age that people wishing to sell on the side of the road need to be licensed.
“No person other than a licensed roadside vendor may offer or expose for sale or distribution on any state highway any goods or services whatsoever,” the spokesperson said.
Rutherford, who is currently studying in her second year at the University of Otago, started selling the cookies during her holidays so she wouldn’t be distracted from her studies by the need to make money during term time.
Rutherford started with 5100 buckets and only has about 650 left.
She is now parked near the Kuripuni roundabout near Waltons Ave.
If you want to order a bucket you can reach Rutherford via email at [email protected] or by texting or calling 027 323 1040.
