THERE are mixed views over the Bridgewater Public Caravan Park redevelopment among local business owners.

Leigh Hanna, a co-owner of Bridgewater licensed post office, is “excited” about the redevelopment.

“It’s a very important focus of the town, and we’re excited to see what’s going to happen there,” Mrs Hanna said.

“Although the floods were terrible, we were hit by the floods here at the post office too, but they were also a chance to wipe the slate clean and come up with something that would be really good for the community and the Loddon Shire.

“We feel it will cater for more families, fishermen and other tourists who want to call in for the weekend. Its position on the river will be the ideal spot to create something really good.”

But Inglewood IGA and Mitre 10 Hardware owner Peter Moore is sure both Inglewood and Bridgewater will suffer.

Mr Moore believes the number of sites available at the redeveloped park, combined with new one-year lease limits, will cause long-time patrons to abandon the park; among them a large number of Bridgewater Ski Club members who make the annual pilgrimage to the park and are responsible for the economic boost to local businesses, Mr Moore said.

“There will be 25 sites that ski club members can tender for, but why would they stay and do much to their site if there’s no guarantee that they will be granted a lease again after a year?”

Mr Moore said the redevelopment would attract customers that would not support local businesses as well as long-time users of the caravan park.

“Overnight stayers usually bring their own supplies with them,” he said.