Dubbo Regional Council extends outdoor dining policy in CBD

Council has extended its outdoor dining policy.

It means cafes and restaurants on Talbragar, Darling, Brisbane, Cobra, Bultje and Wingewarra streets within the central business district will be able to apply to council to establish permanent outdoor dining.

The fees will be waived for the next 12 months, before it's increased to $160 per week.

Council has calculated the cost based on the price of a Macquarie Street lease, the benefits it will bring to the area and how it will help activate the CBD.

Dubbo mayor Ben Shields said it was a fantastic policy and a "great news story".

"It means we're not going to be hitting our local retailers this year. It means we have been reflective of where the economy is heading over the next 12 months. It means effectively we're backing our small businesses, our local retailers," he said.

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The mayor said it would have been a "bad look" if the charges had been introduced this year.

"I'm over the moon that council has not only embraced the idea of having the economic taskforce coming along, in the coming week or so to work out ways we can keep our economy going, but councillors and our staff are looking at practical ways like this to keep our economy going and making sure our CBD in particular remains strong," he said.

Council calculates about 1450 jobs have already been affected from closures due to COVID-19 and another 700 jobs are expected to be affected in the knock on impacts.

One of Cr Shields' solutions to help aid recovery is the formation of a taskforce, comprised of industry leaders from the business, tourism, real estate and education sectors.

The economic taskforce will meet once a week to help shape council's direction in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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