Stores in Reigate were forced to close as a result of a power cut affecting the high street last Thursday, losing out on a busy afternoon's business.
The power failure, which struck at 14:00 GMT and impacted on 12 shops, was the result of a fault on the underground electricity network, confirmed a spokesman for the electricity company EDF.
Commenting on the blackout, Paul Beswtherick, the assistant manager at ASK pizzeria, one of the businesses affected, said: "We originally thought it was the fire alarm that caused it but the fire alarm company told us there were three separate electricity lines coming into the building so it couldn't have been that."
Mr Beswetherick confirmed that he had to turn customers away until the problem was resolved at 17.45 GMT.
Other businesses which suffered from the blackout included the local bakery, where the lack of power to the freezers resulted in ruined stock, as well as the high-street Boots and Holland and Barrett stores.
The town's traders are now counting the cost of the blackout.
In 2003, a power failure in New York cost the city's businesses an estimated $1 billion.
