The move comes as council considers shifting the precinct further towards Bicentennial Park by opening up Peel St, between Brisbane and Bourke streets, to traffic, effectively leaving that edge of the CBD outside the festival precinct and away from the estimated $55 million it brings to town.

Tamworth Outdoor and Camping World owner Roger Cupples was speaking on behalf of all 26 businesses on that block that stand to lose their most lucrative period of the year, when he expressed his disappointment with the proposal.

“We have been fighting this for a long time,” Mr Cupples said.

“A number of us in this precinct have had first hand experience of the downturn in profitability and reduced foot traffic when Brisbane St is open during festival,” Mr Cupples said.

“Some of us lost 45 per cent of our earnings just from that – we can’t recover from that come February.

“It is not just the money we lose, it’s the staff we can’t afford to keep on, and the traffic and parking situation during the busy time.”

Hogsbreath owner Norm Hindmarsh said he too will have to lay off staff, if the move goes ahead, just two years after buying the Peel St business.

“We factored the Festival into how much the business was worth when we bought it,” Mr Hindmarsh said.

“I just can’t understand the logic of it – where is the benefit.” 

He also felt an offer from council to hire a vendor’s stall near Bicentennial Park to trade out of, was a slap in the face.

“Why should I have to pay a premium, and a security guard and everything else to run a stall down there. We already pay a premium to be on Peel St,” he said.

“If you take it down to Bicentennial Park you are going to get blow in traders, who pack up and take the money with them when festival is finished.” 

Addimi proprietor Adrian Coffey fears a two prong loss if the motion gets the green light come Tuesday.

He fears that not only will he lose Festival foot traffic into the cafe, but also that the section of Peel St will become a parking lot, meaning locals will also shy away from battling traffic and crowds to get their regular caffeine fix.

During Festival TRC set a stage up on Peel St, which sees over 100 acts perform over the 10 days, while buskers, markets and stalls also call that end of the main strip home.

Mr Segboer said his offer to the Council is simple.

He wants them to provide the infrastructure to block the road and set up the stage, while Chamber and local businesses will do the rest to keep that end of Peel St open.