But Canberra CBD Limited chief executive Jane Easthope believes it will take times for businesses and pedestrians to return to their usual trading and shopping habits after 16 months in limbo.

Businesses at the London Circuit end have been closed and boarded up after an explosion from East Row's Japanese restaurant Coo triggered a blaze in February last year.

Work began on its restoration in December, and the private sector contractors initially indicated to the ACT government that they expected work to be completed by March.

Ms Easthope welcomed the removal of the scaffolding but believed affected businesses on the East Row side of the building faced a long and hard road ahead.

"It's just taken so long, I don't know what the reasons are, but I look forward to the extended future of that building.

"If it's restored now it might bring more attention from investors and I hope so because it's iconic and a beautiful, beautiful building."

She said the lengthy wait had impacted negatively on business owners, a problem worsened by the continued shift of the city's retail and restaurant hubs to Bunda Street and nearby Braddon.

Ms Easthope said pedestrians had also become used to avoiding the building's East Row because of the restoration works, and businesses would need to work hard to draw them back to the area.

"People are funny things, we're creatures of habit and we're looking for that string with pearls on it so we're looking for a route that's pleasant and we become habitual about it.

"They're almost going to have to collaborate and have an event to say 'We're back in business'."