HORDES of skateboarders are taking over the revamped Victoria Square and scaring away other visitors, traders say.

Business owners around the square say as many as 20 skaters are making it their playground in the afternoons and weekends.

Adelaide City Council is grappling with the issue, which will be exacerbated by the impending closure of the North Tce skate park.

TELL US: Should skateboarders be banned from Victoria Square?

Delish owner Wally Zahr said the biggest problem was skaters grinding on the curved wooden benches that are one of the prime features of the $28 million upgrade of the square.

“You don’t want to spend all that money on something like that and have it damaged,” he said.

“I’m waiting to see someone get hurt and then the ambulance roll up.

“It’s a little bit dangerous if some older person is walking through the square.

“If it does deter other people from using the square or walking through then it’s defeating the purpose of the park.”

Blefari owner Stefano Blefari said the skaters “deter people from venturing out there and taking advantage of the space”.

“I’d rather see more people sit down, congregate and have coffee like they used to in the old square,” he said.

Liquid Hair workers said they had seen as many as 20 skaters in the square at once.

“It starts to look more like a skate park than a family-friendly meeting place,” hairdresser Charlotte Walsh said.

Cafe One Eight Five owner Terri Toderico said there should be signs banning skateboarders from riding on the benches.

“I don’t have a problem with them skateboarding but what if they destroy them?” she said.

“It’s good to have the square being used by everyone, young and old, but it might put off people who just want to go and sit there and read a book or something.”

A council spokeswoman said the square was a public space that everyone, including skaters, were welcome to use.

“However, Adelaide City Council staff have been talking with the skating community and asking that they are considerate of others using the square and respectful of the new infrastructure,” she said.

“We encourage them to use the skate park on North Tce and we are working with them to find a suitable location for the new skate park once this existing one closes later this year.”

Construction of UniSA’s cancer centre over the North Tce skate park will most probably start next year. The council has asked the State Government to fund a $3 million replacement.