As well as the new businesses that have opened their doors, six pop-up stores have appeared, and three additional businesses have moved into larger premises, Dubbo Regional Council Ignite coordinator Nicola Chandler said.

The Post Office in Talbragar had also started opening on Saturday due to the increased foot traffic, she said. While the Sundays of the Rotunda Markets had seen businesses like Myer extending their opening hours to accommodate for the increase of people.

A commercial building, the former Daily Liberal office in Macquarie Street, was sold for more than $2 million.

It all showed the confidence the community had with the CBD, Ms Chandler said.

She said the boom was largely due to the Ignite the CBD Campaign and the 50 Bright Ideas that were developed in consultation with the pubic to encourage more traffic in the area.

As part of the idea, the red tape to start up a new business had been cut, and the process had become more flexible and agile, Ms Chandler said.

“And there’s been more promotion of the CBD. People are believing in the CBD,” she said.

There had previously been a belief that shopping malls were taking business away from the main streets, Ms Chandler said

“There’s enough space in the economy for two shopping precincts. What one offers the other doesn’t,” she said.

Businesses had also been embracing the Ignite campaign, the coordinator said.

“They’re holding meetings on a regular basis to work on new collaboration angles and what they can do together,” Ms Chandler said.

“They needed a catalyst to get everyone together and now we’ve ignited some enthusiasm.”

Council has been implementing the 50 Bright Ideas since they were developed in September 2015.

“We’ve touched on 81 per cent of the bright ideas, but some of them will need a little bit more time or funding,” Ms Chandler said.

She said council was waiting to hear the result of two grants it had recently applied for, after successfully receiving money through the NSW Government’s Energise Enterprise Fund.

It was exciting to see the program all coming together, Ms Chandler said.