In good news for CBD businesses and residents looking for a reason to shop in the city centre, a Lismore City Council audit has revealed growing occupancy rates.

While we are not at the pre-flood level of 90.2%, there is optimism in the air as the current occupancy rate recorded 70.1% occupancy with further growth in the pipeline as those numbers don't include businesses reopening in the coming weeks like Best and Less. This is an increase from 60% in the January audit.

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said the strong result showed business confidence was returning to the CBD following the worst natural disaster in Australia’s recorded history.

“There is hardly a week that goes by that I don’t represent Council at a CBD business re-opening or the opening of a new business,” he said.

“It’s clear that these businesses have confidence in the future of Lismore, and I encourage the community to come into the CBD and support them. Now, more so than ever, it’s important to shop local.”

When asked what would give potential new businesses confidence to invest in the CBD to reach 90% occupancy once again, Mayor Krieg replied flood mitigation was the number one priority.

"That's the one thing that people, business owners, business leaders are speaking to us about is how are you going to protect us moving forward? So we're in constant dialogue. I spoke with Brendan Moon and Simon Draper only last week when they were here, and Brendan Moon actually was in the US a few weeks ago and highlighted one of the cities that he visited has a temporary levee wall on top of their levee wall. These are ideas that are cutting back through NEMA and the NSWRA now as to how we can protect not only Lismore but our region."

"So, I know it might seem that things are a little bit quieter on the news front and in the news cycle, but these guys who are leading our recovery in our rebuild are constantly thinking of ways, and we're also waiting on the CSIRO study, I know that, but they're already thinking of things that they can implement now to protect our CBD."

"I said to Brendan, let's build it now. It's literally the same structure that we build along Keen Street, along Goodyear and the Kitchen Shelf, but they just put it on the levee wall. I said to Simon (Draper) why can't we stop that construction right now."

"Our levee wall has a few integrity issues and different things like that. They never move really quickly. But they're the sorts of ideas that I think, and I'm pushing really hard that those things should be started now. The planning should be started now."

"But I only speak for myself. I don't speak for the council. I haven't passed a resolution in that regard. So obviously, I can only speak for myself. But having been a business owner for 16 years in the CBD these are the sorts of things that would instil confidence and get new businesses, even people that are unsure about coming back to their current location, that would instil the confidence to bring them back."

The higher occupancy rate includes businesses returning to the CBD and new business start-ups, with industry types ranging from retail, food and professional services to healthcare and wellbeing, and arts and recreation.

The audit also revealed a significant increase in occupation rates in upstairs premises.

“It is very encouraging to see the increase in upstairs occupation rates, which are primarily professional services that have returned to our CBD,” Mayor Krieg said.

“When professional service industries invest in the CBD, it means our community can receive the services they need.”

With the CBD coming back to life, the second message from the mayor is for the people of Lismore to shop local.

"It's not only Lismore that is screaming a message of shop local, it is right around the country. Online shopping is obviously a presence, but we've got so many great shops, and so many great retail outlets, you can do everything in the Lismore CBD. We're standing right in front of one of the best grocery shops, we've got bookshops, we've got banks and lawyers, whatever you need you can do it in Lismore CBD, and if you can't get it here, walk 150 meters and you're at the Shopping Square might be two."

Council’s Destination and Economy team audited 595 street front and upstairs premises, including businesses, organisations, residencies and pop-ups. 

The audited area covered central portions of Keen, Molesworth, Woodlark, Conway, Magellan and Carrington streets.

Below are the street-by-street occupation rates for June 2023 compared with the January audit:

• Keen Street occupancy rate – 74.5% (up from 67%)
• Molesworth Street occupancy rate – 73.6% (up from 61%)
• Conway Street occupancy rate – 69.8% (up from 58%)
• Carrington Street occupancy rate – 69.2% (up from 51%)
• Magellan Street occupancy rate – 62.7% (up from 56%)
• Woodlark Street occupancy rate – 60.2% (up from 59%)

This is the third Lismore CBD Audit following the February 2022 natural disaster, with previous audits undertaken in January 2023 and August 2022 (post-disaster) and February 2022 (immediately prior to the disaster). Council staff have audited the same area annually since 2017.