A Victorian business leader says the cafes and restaurants opening on today’s public holiday mourning the Queen are doing it as “a public service”, and he’s urged people to get out and support local businesses.

“They’re not going to make much money,” Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“They’ll be paying two and a quarter times their normal pay to their workers.

“Many of them are doing it simply because they want to have the continuity, the momentum.”

Mr Piper says the public holidays today and tomorrow will cost the Victorian economy more than $1 billion a day.

Press PLAY below to hear Mr Piper’s message to Victorians today