The clothing racks outside Bells, chairs and kayaks at Tonkins Sports Store and the tables of specials outside Mitre 10 are just a few of the displays that will be banned as the City of Victor Harbor responds to complaints from users of gophers and other mobility aids.

Council officers took many retailers by surprise last week when they distributed a document outlining the restrictions and bans.

Under the plan, from July 1, shops in Victor Harbor's CBD will only be able to display goods outside of their business premises on four occasions per year (for a maximum of four days at each time).

They will have to apply for a permit to do so on each occasion, be limited to one table or rack and have to pay "relevant fees".

They will also have to show that they have public liability insurance cover of at least $10million for any one claim.

When asked about the plans by The Times local shop owners expressed anger with the decision and a perceived lack of consultation.

"It's stupid," said Julie Westlake, owner of the children's clothing store, 'That's So You'.

"The racks are the main drawcards. They bring people into the shop.

"It would have been nice if they asked us before deciding," she said.

"You'll see down the main street and there'll be nothing. It'll look as if everyone is closed."

"I'm so angry" was the response of Carmen Guinan, owner of Elysium clothing shop in Ocean Street.

"Are they trying to kill us? Ninety percent of my business comes from the rack on the footpath."

She said she plans to organise a petition to ask the council to reconsider the decision.

Sue Vincent, the manager of Harbor Sounds music store in Ocean Street was also unhappy.

"The racks outside are our bread and butter," she said.

"It's what we put outside that draws people in - and the signboard where we write the new releases. It's like cutting one arm off people who are trying to survive in the main street."

City Manager, Graeme Maxwell, said the process was about enforcing the current regulations. "That's the direction Council has asked us to move in," he said. "It could be modified, depending on feedback."

"We have received regular complaints from people with mobility impairments, such as those needing to use gophers."

He said many comments about the displays had been received from the public gallery at Council meetings over the past six months.

"That is what's driving this," he said. "We need a comfortable passage for people to use."

Susan Thwaites of Bells said while she understood the reasoning behind the decision she was "very disappointed".

"It's going to look like we're all closed," she said. "We're only going to be allowed one rack of clothes, four times a year."

She said that the shop had never had any complaints about the racks of clothes outside of the store and said they were always at pains to make sure that they were neat and out of the way of pedestrians.