BUSINESS owners in Ramsgate Beach Plaza say shoppers have abandoned the area since the popular Franklins closed about 18 months ago.
Andy Omopoulos, of Froth; Niki Taylor, of Sass & Taylor Hair Studio; and Michael Pilman, of Dr Shoe, say they have been losing business since Metcash bought the site and turned it into an IGA.
Several businesses, including a butcher shop and a delicatessen, have moved out in the past year and they fear more will follow.
"About 90 per cent of the walk-by trade has gone, " Mr Omopoulos said.
"The weekend traffic used to start at 6.30am and people going to Franklins would drop in for coffee.
"Now we don't see anyone until about 10am — I've dropped about $1000 over a weekend."
Ms Taylor has operated her hair salon for 15 years and said 50 per cent of her business depended on "walk-ins".
"There were people lining up with their shopping trolleys waiting for the supermarket to open but they just aren't here any more," she said.
Mr Pilman, who bought the 50-year-old shoe repair business 10 years ago, said he had lost at least half his trade.
"We are just not getting the passing trade any more," he said.
The business owners said IGA was not the right supermarket for a retiree demographic, which preferred budget shopping.
They said the IGA in the plaza had been allowed to run down, contributing to the fall in custom.
"The shelves are never stocked," Mr Omopoulos said.
"I go in there and ask for raw sugar and they don't have any; I ask for marshmallows and they don't have any.
"I went in there and told them that this was like the Titanic and no one is going to pay to see the Titanic sink.
"They need to restock the shelves."
Mr Omopoulos said that in an attempt to remedy the situation he had rung Aldi.
"Aldi would kill it around here," he said.
The IGA manager said business was bad everywhere before referring Leader inquiries to the area manager.
Neither the area manager for IGA nor Metcash responded.
Have you stopped shopping at Ramsgate Beach Plaza?
