Unbanning "roadside stalls"? There is action in these places!

Beijing, May 5 (Zhongxin Net) -- Zibo's "fireworks" have spread to first-tier cities. Shenzhen has introduced new regulations that no longer completely ban roadside stalls. Prior to this, Beijing, Shanghai, Lanzhou and other cities also carried out relevant explorations. How to balance the relationship between business operation and urban management has become a new question faced by local governments.

Infographic: A young man's barbecue stall. Photo by Li Chen

Shenzhen no longer completely bans "roadside stalls", and many places have already taken measures

Recently, the newly revised Regulations on the Management of Urban Appearance and Environmental Sanitation in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone were voted and adopted by the 2023th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress and will come into force on September 9, 1.

The amended Ordinance no longer bans roadside stalls in its entirety. Specifically, the original provision of "prohibiting the sale and operation of stores and stores beyond the door and the window wall" was revised to "shopping malls and stores that exceed the door or window wall for sale and operation shall comply with the regulations".

On the basis of the original "it is forbidden to occupy urban roads and their sides without authorization, pedestrian bridges, pedestrian tunnels and other public places to pile up goods, set up stalls, and sell goods", an exception provision has been added that "street offices may designate street vendors according to the principles of convenience for the masses, reasonable layout and orderly supervision".

Data map: Shanghai rises trunk market Photo by Fan Zhonghua

Since the beginning of this year, Beijing, Shanghai, Lanzhou and other cities have also explored relevant policies for swing operations.

In January, Beijing issued the Implementation Plan for Clearing Hidden Barriers and Optimizing the Consumer Business Environment, proposing 1 reform tasks to break through pain points and blockages, including regulating the operation of business districts. In February, Shanghai issued the "Guiding Opinions on Further Standardizing the Business Activities of Stalls in the New Period (Draft for Comments)", which proposed that the district people's government, in conjunction with the relevant departments of the city, may, as needed, delineate open stall areas, set up characteristic points, diversion points, and control points, and at the same time delineate strict prohibition areas, strict control areas, and control areas.

Recently, Lanzhou issued the "Guiding Opinions on Further Standardizing the Operation of Swinging (Trial)", which standardizes the setting of swing areas and the behavior of individuals setting up stalls, clarifies the conditions for setting up swings, puts forward innovative setting of characteristic points, and encourages the formation of a service pattern of "basic business as the main body and stall operation as a supplement".

How to manage stalls? All localities clarify business norms

The policy is no longer completely banned, and many regions have begun to explore new forms of stalling, and new management norms need to be established urgently.

For example, Zibo, an internet celebrity city that has attracted much attention this year, gave guidance to residents to set up stalls as early as two years ago. In June 2020, the Zibo Economic and Technological Development District Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau planned 6 convenience evacuation points and morning and night market distribution points, and at the same time, there will be no fees for operating in the specified area, and all water and electricity bills will be free.

Data map: Booth attracts consumers to linger Photo by Fan Zhonghua

First-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai also have clear regulations on the business categories, regional scope and swing time of commercial swings. In response to the problem that the pilot swing may produce the phenomenon of stalls and affect the appearance of the city, at the beginning of this year, the person in charge of the relevant department in Beijing told the media that the promotion of the swing pilot is mainly to meet the needs of the masses for leisure consumption and quality consumption, not "stalls".

Shenzhen's newly revised regulations also make it clear that it is forbidden to occupy urban roads and public places to pile up goods, set up stalls and sell goods. Where this provision is violated, the city, district urban management and comprehensive law enforcement departments shall order corrections; where corrections are refused, the city, district urban management and comprehensive law enforcement departments shall impose a fine of 1,000 yuan per square meter according to the area covered; where the circumstances are serious, confiscate the items illegally stacked or placed for sale and the tools for carrying out the illegal conduct.

Hangzhou has made regulations on sanitation, table and chair facilities in the external swing area. Hangzhou requires that tables and chairs in the swing area should be open to pedestrians and tourists free of charge as public facilities, and their use should not be restricted.

Lanzhou proposed that food vendors and street performers should have corresponding qualifications, and eligible individuals can apply to the morning market, night market and other operating entities.

Data map: Booth outside the pedestrian street Photo by Huang Weizheng

Expert: Business swing policies are not simply yes or nos

How to balance the relationship between urban "pyrotechnics" and the urban environment, and how to avoid "chaos" as soon as it is released, and "death" when it is managed?

Pan Helin, co-director and researcher of the Digital Economy and Financial Innovation Research Center of Zhejiang University International Business School, said that allowing commercial swings can promote the people's livelihood economy, create employment opportunities, promote people's income growth, and is also a very important link in the active economic end cycle.

Pan and Lin said that the setting up of roadside stalls should be coordinated with urban planning, delineating the roadside stall areas where stalls can be set up, and managing the outside behavior of stores.

"The contradiction between most urban management and roadside stall owners is actually one-size-fits-all policy, which is not humane enough in the process of law enforcement." Pan and Lin said that for commercial swings, it is not possible to simply give a "can" or "cannot" policy, but to leave the specific law enforcement judgment to the grassroots level, and at the same time return the power to supervise the grassroots law enforcers to stall owners, shop owners and residents. (End)