With the news Christ Church Cathedral is "likely" to be mothballed, there is concern about what it could mean for the future of the city's square.
A total of $82 million has already been spent on the project, with a decision expected next week on whether the iconic building will be permanently fenced off and left as is.
Its neighbour Foundation Café has been keeping people caffeinated for years but with questions over the restoration have come questions about future business.
"There is a bit of a disconnection between the south side of the city and the north side and so having the square as a building site means people just kind of don't venture through there to us," owner Ruth Trevella said.
She said she would love to have "good flow" back between both sides of the square.
Last week the Government confirmed there will be no further taxpayer money for the rebuild.
The project is a third of the way finished but there's an $85 million funding shortfall.
The Central City Business Association's Annabel Turley said it "does sort of feel like we're pushing pause on our rebuild after the earthquake".
"We know that obviously the costs have escalated ... but we're really hoping there is going to be a workaround, so it does get completed," she said.
The area was once a thriving business and tourist hotspot.
Labour's Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said if the church does get mothballed it would be a huge blow to the people of Christchurch enjoying the square.
"Everybody wants to see the square back to where it once was. The cathedral's right in the middle of it and it being mothballed is kind of putting the whole square area in limbo," he said.
The director of the project said a mothballed cathedral would see current barriers left where they are.
It would become a suspended construction site, inaccessible but with an ongoing cost to maintain and insure it.
"We'd just like it back the way it was or in some kind of functioning form would be brilliant," Trevella said.
Rose again: Christ Church Cathedral's stained glass window restored
Conservator Graham Stewart has devoted a year to restoring the remarkable window.
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Christ Church Cathedral 'likely' to be mothballed
It's been the confirmed the Government is not going to provide anymore taxpayer funding for the reinstatement.
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Chch ratepayers put $7m into cathedral rebuild amid uncertainty
The Christchurch City Council has agreed to fulfil a commitment to pay a further $7 million for the restoration of the Christ Church Cathedral — despite the possibility that the project could be mothballed.
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In a meeting next week all options will be considered by the Christ Church Reinstatement Limited board.
By Katie Stevenson
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