Cino Caffe has shut up shop, with rent increases, disruptions due to the mall redevelopment and the no smoking policy taking its toll.

Retailers and business owners, who did not want to be named, told the Advertiser they had concerns more pain was coming their way.

One owner said he supported upgrading the mall but felt it was taking too long to complete.

‘‘Wollongong Council is lacking direction,’’ he said.

‘‘By the time the mall is done we face the real possibility of losing more customers to Shellharbour. 

‘‘People can go to Shellharbour for the day and get what they get here and not worry about paying for parking. Here [Wollongong] they have to pay to park on the road and park in car parks.

‘‘We have already endured a miserable time during the first stage of work on the mall. I fear there is much more pain on the way.’’

Council infrastructure and works director Mike Hyde told the Mercury business owners could also expect ‘‘a lot of gain’’ by the start of November, when the revamped mall is set to open.

With refurbishment work on the $20million project due to escalate in coming weeks, Mr Hyde laid out the council’s construction plans for the next eight months.

He said Lahey Constructions contractors would begin installing hoarding from outside David Jones down to the Kembla Street end of the mall on February 3.

A busy schedule of demolition work would then begin, causing ‘‘angst’’ for already struggling retailers and business owners in the area, Mr Hyde said.

‘‘That’s going to be quite noisy unfortunately because underneath where the fountains were...[there is] a lot of massed concrete that has to be dug out,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s going to be painful, there will be people who won’t like what they are being asked to undergo, but at the end of it our city will look a lot more beautiful.

‘‘It will be a much more attractive place, and the same shop owners who are quite appropriately saying it’s affecting their business now will have enhanced business opportunities.’’

Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said he understood the retailers’ concerns, but urged patience and persistence during the ‘‘the homeward stretch’’ of the refurbishment.

Disgruntled mall retailer Jim McDonogh, who runs an engraving store, was due to address councillors last night, outlining his concerns. 

What comes next?

• Hoarding goes back up outside David Jones down to Kembla Street by February 3

• Demolition of trees, planter boxes, seating and fountain foundations

• Construction and paving completed at lower end of mall

• Seats, other furniture and light poles to be installed

• Area near old amphitheatre/Church Street to be open mid-year

• Public art to be selected by curator/councillors

• Mall re-opens end of October.  

The Advertiser