Hospitality venues across Ararat are frantically preparing to reopen for when the COVID-19 restrictions ease at midnight on Wednesday night.
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Many cafes and restaurants are struggling to get stock in ahead of tomorrow's reopening, despite having had an excess just five days earlier.
"What we lost in the past five days was really difficult, as well as losing the stock, so to reorder everything and redo the staff roster will be hard," he said.
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Mr Labib said he hoped the events of the past few days would not repeat.
"We cannot afford this thing every few months," he said.
"We rely on people travelling, and especially in Ararat because the five-kilometre radius makes it really extremely hard."
Tasty Bird owner Wendy Nicholson said the lockdown may still affect business even after the five-day period has elapsed.
"I think there will still be an after-effect," she said.
Ms Nicholson said she was also left with an excess of stock after Friday's announcement.
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"It's the short notice that hurts the most because you've already done all your orders, then all of a sudden everything changes," she said.
"We've been doing takeaway and delivery the past few days, so it hasn't been too bad, it's just been very quiet."
Khoon Thai Ararat owner Tukta U-Buabon said the suddenness of the announcement had also been the main difficulty for her business.
"Just before the lockdown we ordered a lot of stock," she said.
"We've been able to use some of it with takeaway and delivery."
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