In the last several months we've watched businesses in our CBD suddenly shut their doors with no plans to reopen, but we've also seen new outlets emerge with the prospect of more to come.

Some business owners are considering retirement or a time for change while others say they're not going anywhere.

Parkes Champion Post journalists have walked the pavement and counted the empty shopfronts - there's 29, starting at Cooke Park in Clarinda Street stretching to Bushman Street, and taking in Dalton Street, Cooke Park Cafe, three in the Big W complex, the former Target premises and the Star Hotel.

It's no secret times are tough for small businesses, Parkes Business Chamber president Geoff Rice and Business NSW Western regional director Vicki Seccombe have confirmed that.

Our journalists have explored Parkes' business climate deeper and it’s not all negative.

Take a read of our special coverage that appears in the 18 December edition of the Parkes Champion Post and in feature stories on our website.

There are at least 29 empty shopfronts in Parkes' CBD right now, which includes seven together in Dalton Street. But a music store will soon occupy one of them.

A new-look Commercial Hotel has reopened after a few years' shut, there's a new paint shop, a book shop and a kebab shop opened last week, and there's a music store coming to the corner of Welcome Street.

Some businesses have vacated their premises, not because they are closing down but are moving to a new location to expand.

Just down the road in Medlyn Street a development application has been approved for a new motel and childcare centre at the former - now demolished - Greenparkes Nursery site.

John Lovett has been a small business owner in Parkes with his wife Fiona for 20 years, they run SportsPower which has been on the market for a little while now.

With their three children moving away, the couple are looking at moving on themselves to be closer to them and other family, having semi-moved to the coast already.

"People tend to focus on the negative but there are positives in the main street, other shops are opening," John said, pointing out the new shops and businesses that have opened recently.

"It's not like it used to be but it's not all doom and gloom.

"Shutting the shop is the last thing I want to do because I know Parkes needs a sport shop.

"Don't get me wrong, Orange has a lot of empty shops too."

Cooke Park Cafe is among a few businesses of late to suddenly shut its doors and cease operation.

'We want to invest in Parkes'

The Commonwealth Bank has a big interest in investing in Parkes.

That's according to the bank's commercial regional manager Daniel Page who said nationally CBA want to invest in regional Australia, with a heavy focus on smaller towns like Parkes.

"Particularly smaller towns who are underserved by banks," he added.

"While the big banks are pulling out of the smaller towns we are doing the polar opposite and leaning into providing more support.

"We want to support community investment where we can.

"And we want to show up and help businesses and towns unlock capital."

Daniel is newly based at Dubbo and has been on the ground finding out who's not supported, acknowledging how important face-to-face encounters are for local businesses.

"With the economic climate businesses are feeling on edge, it's boom and bust at the moment," he said.

"We're in a boom in Dubbo for example, so what does it mean for everyone and what does it mean for the future?

"We are continually looking for opportunities on what we can do for communities, whether that's providing financial literacy or support community events.

"We're looking at holding events too where we can to help the business community."

It's a multi-speed economy

Business NSW Western regional director Vicki Seccombe said it's tricky to fully gauge how Central West businesses are coping in what she describes is a two or multi-speed economy.

"There are businesses doing well across the Central West," she said.

"But what we're seeing is the smaller to medium businesses are definitely under pressure.

"There are less customers in the lead up to Christmas... Every time there's an interest rate rise we've seen less coffees ordered, less foot traffic.

"Business confidence rises when interest rates drop."

Vicki said people are watching their money because of the next interest rate rise and that everyday living costs are high.

"The feedback we are getting is sales have definitely dropped and it's been tough leading up to Christmas," she said.

"This year has been tough actually and trading has been tough, but there are positives though.

"At the same time there are lots of people having a go and lots of people doing new things.

"Business owners are generally confident looking to the next quarter.

"[And] our surveys are just a snapshot in time.

"You can see the correlation there with interest rates."