Carts in the City

A few weeks ago I decided to test the recently opened green line of Dubai Metro. Together with the red line which was opened last year they are supposed to enable Dubai residents and visitors to traverse the city with relative ease through an integrated transportation system that includes feeder buses as well as a marine infrastructure – abras - water taxis and so forth.

My journey started in Rashidiya where we left our cars and together with a companion took the train to our first stop – Baniyas square in the centre of Deira. As we disembarked and emerged into the square the transformation that had occurred to the actual space was quite amazing: newly landscaped lawns and benches which returned the square to its former condition – as a main centre for the city. We then continued to the Ghubeiba station to be followed by Al-Ras – both had a traditional design for the entryways, which differed from the sea-shell like structure in the other stations. They were designed to resemble traditional houses found throughout the city such as in the district of Bastakiya.

The stations were meticulous, clean and highly efficient. Yet the exterior spaces lacked a vibrant street life. Granted that we were still in the summer and it was the middle of the day but the potential for high-level activities was not there – particularly given the absence of various retail establishments that would promote congregation of pedestrians. The only exception was Baniyas Square, which historically was always surrounded by numerous restaurants and other shops.

It is here that one could perhaps look at the practices of other cities in the world to see the extent to which the promotion of a certain street culture can lead to urban spaces that are vibrant active and full of life.

Let’s take the city of New York as an example. One of the most distinguished features of the city is the various street vendors selling all sorts of food items from carts. Think of the famous New York hot dog for example, dispensed by a surly looking vendor, from a container containing cooking water of dubious origins. It is one of the most iconic images of a New York street scene. What makes this interesting though is that it appears to be an informal activity – the street carts are mobile and are usually manned by recent immigrants. The practice is controlled by city authorities who ensure that these outlets follow regulations pertaining to safety and so on. However it is, strictly speaking, not entirely legal.

What brought up this issue was a recent crackdown against the proliferation of what is called high-end food trucks, occupying large stretches of sidewalks, and causing conflict with store owners, as reported in the New York Times prompting a crackdown against these practices. At the same time the city does not want to completely enforce a ban on vendors, thus depriving it of one of its main attractions, and it also is reluctant to open up the practice since this would lead to an occupation of every available street corner.

Thus an implicit agreement was struck between the police, vendors and owners of stores affected by the presence of food carts: the police reserves the right to remove them at any time, and cart owners do not try to dominate the space they occupy and in case of disputes they move somewhere else.

The New York Times article however argues that because the rules were vague, and the carts were mostly operated by poor migrants, there was a certain unique quality to these places that distinguished them from the bland food offered in fast food restaurants. If the practice is regulated however, then there is a danger that they would lose their allure.

Looking at Dubai we see that the city has its version of street food also. While it is not sold from carts, various South-Asian restaurants do serve customers from windows dispensing food to passers-by. You can find this in the streets of Karama, in Meena Bazaar and along the passageways of Deira as well. Surely, it would be possible to capitalise on this by allowing some form of street vending to take place, leading to the emergence of an informal street culture, but still operating under specific regulations. Given the unique cultural conditions of the city, turning a blind eye as is the case in New York City is obviously not possible but mechanisms could be found that would lead to a similar practice.

Urban sociologist Sharon Zukin has argued that food consumption is a way to define an authentic urban experience and that it can help to restore a city’s soul by promoting a partnership between the city, small business owners and residents thus allowing them to put down roots and in turn create a vibrant city. And this would allow the Metro stations of Ghubeiba and Al-Ras to become main destination and attraction points.

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