Kingston's Sunday morning coffee crowd will have to look further afield for a caffeine fix next Sunday as ActewAGL closes Green Square down for the day by cutting off the electricity.
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Traders in usually bustling Green Square will be hit as ActewAGL conducts ''essential maintenance'' between 6.30am and 3pm, with few businesses in Green Square able to operate without power to fridges, lights, coffee machines and electrical cooking equipment.
Bittersweet cafe owner Daniel Rayner was shocked by the news he would have to close on his busiest day of trade for the week.
''We are very concerned about the loss of income we will experience if we are without power for eight hours,'' he said.
''Not only is Sunday the busiest trading day of the week, but we are also anticipating an influx of interstate visitors because of the Floriade festival and believe an empty, shuttered Green Square will not present Canberra in a positive light.''
Only two of the shopfronts in Green Square would usually be closed on a Sunday, but ActewAGL refused to negotiate another day or time with a number of concerned business owners.
Mr Rayner said he contacted ActewAGL and attempted to discuss alternative arrangements, suggesting the work be done on a Monday or later in the day so as not to interfere with breakfast and lunch trading, as soon as Green Square business owners were informed of the power cut by letter on Friday afternoon.
''I contacted ActewAGL to discuss these options, and spoke with Shane, who I understand is managing the supply upgrade project,'' he said.
''He indicated that ActewAGL was not prepared to consider any of these alternatives, and that the power outage would be going ahead regardless of the impact on our businesses.''
Mr Rayner said he stood to lose up to $5000 if he was unable to trade on a Sunday.
A number of other business owners in Green Square told the Sunday Canberra Times yesterday that they would be unable to trade and would also consider seeking compensation.
But ActewAGL network services general manager Rob Atkin said the work would go ahead regardless.