But The Loaded Plate Cafe will see its next birthday, with plans to re-open in February. 

The 15-year-old business closed in October, with Ms Chibnall linking the road works with a marked reduction in trade. 

“It just killed us. I was paying more in staff than was coming in,” she said.

The Loaded Plate Cafe was in the middle of the construction zone when Ms Chibnall decided to shut up shop.

READ MORE: Napier Street road works take their toll on 15-year-old business

While the Napier Street upgrade has yet to be completed, she said the works had progressed and access to the cafe and the car park had cleared.

“I hope when we do reopen it will be bigger and better than ever,” Ms Chibnall said.

“The feedback I’ve had has just been so positive.”

She said customers had been calling to ask whether the cafe was re-opening.

Word that The Loaded Plate Cafe will throw open its doors again on February 11 has spread fast and has been met with joy among its social media following.

While she said the closure had been ‘really tough’, Ms Chibnall said it had provided her with an opportunity to do some work in the cafe.

She praised the improvements to the stretch of road near her business, describing them as awesome.

“It’s just taken far too long,” Ms Chibnall said. 

“Bendigo people have been pretty patient, really.”

In its January update, Regional Roads Victoria said the Napier Street project was on track to be finished by mid-year.

Contractors resumed work on January 7.

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