Dubbo businesses have "weathered the onslaught" of the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic but there remains "so much uncertainty" about going forward, a retailer says.
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Dubbo SportsPower owner Anthony Barnes said he was making financial commitments to stock hoping next year would be back close to normal.
But the pandemic and the two-month shutdown it prompted in NSW had caused a lot of disrupted supply in retail, and other challenges, he said.
He noted there were sectors that had suffered more greatly than others, with cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs among the worst-hit because of a forced lockdown for their industries.
"We're four months into what could be 12 months before things get back to normal," he said.
"It's definitely a rocky road ahead."
When the retailer had to order football boots and other gear two months ago for 2021, he said it was without a crystal ball to see what the COVID-19 situation would be like in the future.
"That's the uncertainty, making financial investments for next year," Mr Barnes said.
He is not alone in his outlook, with a new survey by the state's peak business organisation suggesting businesses are less pessimistic about the months ahead, but there is still a long way to go to recovery.
"Our most recent quarterly Business Conditions Survey indicated that business conditions hit rock bottom in the June quarter, but capital spending, revenue, profit and staffing are approaching a turning point," Business NSW western NSW regional manager Vicki Seccombe said.
"The relaxation of trading restrictions appears to have provided welcome relief for the most impacted sectors.
"Accommodation and food service businesses recorded the strongest turnaround when asked to look ahead to the September quarter.
"Easing drought conditions and the re-opening of our regions to visitors has bolstered the business outlook in much of western NSW and provided a much-needed jolt for their business operations.
"Pleasingly, more than 40 per cent of western NSW businesses reported they were more optimistic about the impact of COVID-19 than they were in April, which is higher than the state average of 28 per cent," Ms Seccombe said.
"While there are positive signs locally, subsequent restrictions have still impacted business confidence with over 30 per cent of western NSW businesses reporting they are at a high risk of failure."
Businesses had entered a cost-cutting phase, which was starting to have a flow-on effect for customer demand, jobs and the potential for the economy to bounce back, Ms Seccombe said.
"Governments should continue to work closely with industry to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and to avoid a further round of crippling restrictions which would further hurt the economy," she said.
Mr Barnes said: "This thing will end, I take comfort in that, I just don't know when."
"We'll either get a vaccine, or live with it, but I don't know when," he said.
"...Keep hanging in there, doing the best we can, and everyone's in the same boat."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
