Last week, Cr Hulin said he wanted businesses to set high standards with their shop displays and street furniture. 

“People have come to me and said there is some junk,” Cr Hulin said.

Kaye A’Vard, from Hoppy’s Cafe in the northern end of Liebig Street, was disappointed with Cr Hulin’s comments. 

She said Cr Hulin was oblivious to the pain being caused to Liebig Street traders during the street works.

“To hear Cr Hulin with what sounded very much like a sarcastic shot at businesses was a real slap in the face,” Ms A’Vard said.

“There is no empathy from council at all.” 

Ms A’Vard took over ownership of Hoppy’s Cafe on February 6 and got off to a promising start.

“The first two to three weeks were great, we worked really hard and had built up a strong customer base,” she said.

“We were okay when the other side of the street was being done, because we had parking. But when they moved to this side of the road at the start of August, we immediately lost 50 per cent of our trade, it just went dead.

“There is nothing we could do, we just feel so helpless and emotionally it is really tough. I’m not the only one, there is a lot of anger across a lot of businesses in Liebig Street. There has been communication from council but it has been poor, there have been a lot of inaccurate timelines regarding the street works. We just have to ride out the storm and hope we make it through.”

Ms A’Vard said she had asked council about the possibility of rates compensation for Liebig Street businesses.

A council spokesman told The Standard rates compensation was discussed but would not be pursued.  

Ms A’Vard’s frustration about Cr Hulin’s views were backed up by the majority of the 338 people who commented on the story on The Standard’s Facebook page. 

In her comment to the page, Samantha Lenehan said she avoids Liebig Street.

“Traders have had to put up with the disturbance of the upgrade and lost customers and now you expect them to buy new furniture, shame on you guys for kicking them while they are down,” she said.