Tauranga City Councillors ignored retailers' warnings about the likely results of the Willow Street road works earlier this year, says Broncos Sports owner Ben Tuck.
He says businesses noticed declining takings since the Yellow Hopper buses began using Willow Street and most notably with the loss of car parking.

They fought with the council to retain car parking and managed to keep three, and the Masonic car park - which is currently blocked off.
The loss of Willow Street car parking is also affecting the restaurants on The Strand, says Ben - also something councillors were warned about.
Their customers are leaving because they cannot find close car parks, and they are fined if they use The Strand reclamation car parks after 10pm.
Broncos is experiencing their lowest customer rate in 35 years, says Ben.
"We normally have five staff, two are on forced holidays. We are running on three.
"They (Tauranga City Council) were told, but they did nothing," says Ben.
"We need car parks. It is just killing us. Council is supposed to be our friend, not our enemies."
Ben was commenting on Friday's closure of The Copy Centre as reported on SunLive that day.
The copy centre closed after 13 years on the Willow Street site, blaming the road works as a main cause.
Tight times and the further loss of customers over road works on two fronts forced the decision.
Earlier street works in Hamilton Street right outside The Copy Centre were also a factor.
"That was supposed to take a week, and it took over three weeks," says The Copy Centre's former manager Vicki Pearson, "and then when this happened out here, they put a 'road closed' sign at the end of the road, at The Strand end. That's only just been taken away the last few days.

Gary Warner at City Markets says turnover is down 25-30 per cent since the road works started.
"It's still not back even now we have got access," says Gary.
"The oldies get confused if they see signs and cones. It has hurt us big time. I've had to give a lot of stuff away just to get customers back.
"It is scary stuff and we are not out of the woods yet, we are looking at another 4-5 weeks."