Permit confusion in the hours leading up to the border closure has seen businesses lose more than 60 per cent of their bookings.
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Business owners were forced to ask all Victorian clients to cancel their appointments at places including beauty and hair salons on Tuesday before the permit system came into effect.
Panicked clients also rushed to cancel appointments before the permit system came online just hours before midnight which said cross-border communities could go about "daily life" as normal.
For Basq Beauty Spa and Wellness owner Courtney Callesen more than 60 per cent of appointments for this Saturday, one of their busiest days, were cancelled in a matter of hours.
And to add to the confusion, the Albury-based day spa has been all-but hidden from street view with the main border checkpoint outside their front door.
"We knew they would be setting up the checkpoint close to us but we didn't expect them to be right out the front," Ms Callesen told The Border Mail.
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"It is just another hit to an already tough year for businesses here on the Border.
"We closed for three months and we have just got back to some sort of normality and now this border closure.
"We were completely booked for the next week and then there was confusion about if people could come over the border for treatments. We were forced to inform clients to cancel as we just didn't know."
Ms Callesen said the extra traffic going past the entrance to the salon "wasn't ideal".
"It isn't very relaxing with cars and motorbikes and all that extra noise going past all day," she said.
"We are still open, even if you can't see us from the street.
"And to add even more stress the majority of our staff are from the Wodonga side.
"So getting to work this morning was quite a journey for most of our staff.
"Our clients have been really supportive and we just hope the community continues to support local businesses during this time."
For Frame Brow Clinic owner Ebony Tai more than 40 per cent of her business comes from from Victorian clients, with many outside the 50 kilometre Border bubble.
"Given the delays I think some people will be avoiding the trip while it's this congested," she said.
"But having said that my clients are very committed to their brows.
"With the changing landscape during this pandemic I've learnt to trust the system a lot more and know that the details are always more reasonable than the initial announcement.
"The well-being and safety of our community is the most important priority but due to the close connection Albury-Wodonga has, closing the state border impacts on our daily life.
"I am keeping track of the requirements both sides of the border given that I have clients from both states as I am mindful that different restrictions may apply for my clients and their abilities to travel.
"I would love to thank my clients that have not only been so supportive and understanding but so kind and encouraging to not just my business but to myself as a mother, I definitely feel very grateful."
The North East Border Trades and Labour Council believe the closure has "caused chaos" which will continue unless problems are addressed.
"If the border closure is to continue we call upon the state governments concerned to allow free transit across the border for residents who live within 50 kilometres on either side of the border," a joint statement said.
"This can be made possible by the use existing technologies such as car registration number plate recognition etc.
"We are well aware that drastic decisions such as border closures, and lockdowns, need to be implemented effectively, and for this to occur the community should be united and not divided."