However, the safety of our community must take precedence."It said the closure applied only to the affected areas of the site and that other areas of the broader Aradale site remained open.A government spokesperson confirmed Melbourne Polytechnic had closed the site to ensure public safety."While further assessments are underway, Melbourne Polytechnic is working directly with affected community groups and keeping them informed," the spokesperson said.Labor MP and member for Ripon Martha Haylett said she was not warned about the impending closure and that many people were blindsided.She said she had been working with Mr Buchanan "for years" to improve communications with Melbourne Polytechnic."They just point-blank ignored me for years They've been operating in really bad faith for a long time," she said."I'd gone out there and checked it out and raised it with Melbourne Polytechnic and they just ignored my letter."It's like they have just cut [Mr Buchanan] off at the knees."As the caretakers … I just hope [Melbourne Polytechnic] will be able to get it up and running in the long term."The ABC has received emails from other concerned businesses who said Friday's immediate closure had already delivered a "noticeable effect" on business.Tourism businesses said about 80 per cent of weekend bookings were from people wanting to visit the asylum.Ararat Rural City Council said it recognised the heavy toll the closure would have on local businesses."While safety concerns surrounding the site make this a complex issue, the resulting strain on our tourism sector is very real, and we remain fully committed to supporting our local business community," the council said.