DESPITE another business in Dubbo’s CBD recently closing its doors, Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson is adamant the city’s main street and close surrounds still represents a sought-after location for shop owners.
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Hot on the heels of Nova Scotia, which will close its doors at the end of August, Snazzi Scrappin’ & Beads on Bultje St has moved to Meek Street, where owner Michelle Thompson runs the business from home.
Now just known as Snazzi Scrappin’, Ms Thompson made the decision to leave the CBD after more than 10 years as the overheads were too demanding.
“The rent in Dubbo is a killer,” she said.
“We are only going to be left with the larger businesses and the smaller shops are going to struggle too much.
“But the first two weeks in the new premises has been great so hopefully that continues.”
The building where Snazzi Scrappin’ was remains vacant.
Recent figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics from the year ending June 30, 2009 until the year ending June 30, 2013, show there were 284 additional businesses in Dubbo which is an increase of 7 per cent.
In the same period, Orange’s business sector experienced a 3 per cent increase, while Bathurst saw a less than 1 per cent increase.
While these figures demonstrate positive growth in Dubbo’s business sector, the fact several enterprises are moving away from the CBD, or have closed their doors altogether, has left the main street of Dubbo with several empty buildings.
Cr Dickerson believes it is a fine line between having no opportunities for businesses to move into the CBD, and having so many vacancies that it becomes an issue for the city.
“There is a lot of activity in the CBD and it has been like that for a little while,” he said.
“While we have a couple of businesses closing, we just had The Press open in Bultje Street, and the Macquarie Credit Union have moved in from Hawthorn Street.
“There are several other sites where I see work being done, so I don’t think the closure of two businesses is a massive drama.
“It’s a constant process that happens in any CBD.”
Cr Dickerson again pointed to the Ignite the CBD project that he hoped would attract more locals and visitors into the main street and surrounding areas.
“It isn’t a mad rush where we are desperate to get people in, but we are always looking to improve and make the centre better,” he said.
