Michele Malseed of Eco Wild Health Food and Organics said that when machines were digging up the footpath to put in the water main, they took two days, losing her 50 per cent of her takings on two separate occasions.

“I thought there would be far less disruption,” she said.

“The main works are going to be far more disruptive.  It would have been better if the work had been done on Saturday afternoons, when you can shoot a gun down the main street of Wauchope, so it should have been done then, and at night, and on Sundays.”

Workers left equipment and clothing on top of the garden beds that she tends outside her shop.  However, Ms Malseed said she is very supportive of the work and appreciates that there is a level of disruption, but says it can’t come at businesses’ expense.

Chris Gill from Bago Real Estate said the work should have been held off until the middle of February.

“There was disruption with the asphalt, people were sinking into it, and mix was too soft when they were laying the water main, so they have had to redo it,” said Mr Gill.

“I think council could have allowed some more car parking elsewhere.  We don’t want to lose retail sales, going into Port Macquarie.  I’m concerned that people might be fed up and go and find somewhere else to park,” he added.

The CBD upgrade aims to encourage more ‘feet on the street’ and create a safer, pedestrian-friendly town centre.

The plan on the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council website aims to make walking and cycling trips more convenient, pleasant and safe.

The work involves an upgrade to the main street between Cameron and Hastings Street and includes relocating crossings, reversing the direction of one-way traffic on Oxley Lane, increasing footpath widths and providing 17 one-hour spaces, five disaabled, four 15-minute in High Street and 10 dedicated motorcycle spaces in Bransdon Street.