Butchers in Coffs Harbour have told the ABC they are losing customers and have been verbally abused for selling halal meat.

Some butchers said they were no longer advertising the fact that they sell it.

Halal meat is from animals slaughtered under Islamic practices, with clean instruments that are pork and alcohol-free, in the presence of a Muslim.

One Coffs Harbour butcher, who did not want to be identified, said he took down a sign in his shop after more than one customer swore at him.

"I was shocked by such a narrow-minded attitude to people who are just trying to make a new life in Australia," the butcher said.

"I felt it was not worth my while to leave the sign up [and] actually thought someone may chuck a brick through the front window of my shop.

"But I will continue to sell halal meat, which I source from a supplier in Casino."

Coffs Harbour designated a 'Refugee Welcome Zone'

Refugee advocate Paul Hemphill said Coffs Harbour was home to a small number of Muslims.

"They are mainly Afghani refugee women with dependent children who have been brought to Australia for humanitarian settlement," Mr Hemphill said.

One Coffs Harbour butcher sources his halal meat from Casino. ( ABC News: Helen Merkell )

"Their needs are simple and as they adapt to our ways, they hold dear the customs of their lost homelands.

"They wish to prepare and eat food in traditional ways [and] this includes meat from animals slaughtered in accordance with their religious custom; that is, halal."

Mr Hemphill said the public manifestation of fear and ignorance saddened him.

"We have people from areas in the world who have been forced to flee and we have them now living amongst us," he said.

"We are a safe haven, we're providing refuge. Things like this are a bit of a poke in the eye to that humanitarian ethos."

Coffs Harbour sitting councillor and mayoral candidate Dr Sally Townley said the city was embracing refugees.

"I would like to think we really are a 'Refugee Welcome Zone', not just in name but in action too," Dr Townley said.

"Coffs Harbour is an area that has been selected by the Federal Government to be a settlement city for a number of different refugee groups.

"Sudanese people, some other African nations, we have a growing Burmese population, also a lot of Afghani people and some other people as well."

No sense in objecting to halal says mayoral candidate

Dr Townley said it did not make sense for anyone to object to a butcher selling halal meat.

"If you can ask for a skinny, caramel, latte, chai on soy milk then you can ask for halal meat," she said.

"It's a personal choice and I don't see why it shouldn't be available.

"I think anyone who has lived in Coffs for the past 10 or 15 years has definitely seen an increase in multiculturalism.

"It's gone from being quite unusual to see Sudanese people for example, to now seeing lots of kids in our schools, people working in shops and people starting up business enterprises.

"It makes people realise that the way we live is not the only way to live.

"Opening people's eyes up to the fact that there's a big world out there, and to come in contact with people who have completely different life experiences is always helpful."

