The only major retailer left was David Jones, which had already announced it was closing its doors.

However, when Renew Newcastle began its project to offer vacant space at the mall to a collection of artists, designers, small retail outlets and cottage industries, it rejuvenated the entire district.

Renew Newcastle and Renew Australia founder Marcus Westbury said the Myer Ballarat proposal is, of course, a very different scenario to what happened in Newcastle. 

Ballarat has a far healthier retail outlook than Newcastle did a few years ago.

But he backed the principle of bringing life to a retail area through small enterprises. 

"In terms of what Myer is proposing, it is not massively relevant to what we've done but I think it is a good thing," Mr Westbury said.

"We had a conference recently in Newcastle and a few people Ballarat were there to look at the model and they showed an interest.

"Our model is to lend space to artists and designers through the Renew scheme. It is a model that works. Adelaide and a few places in Queensland have also been using vacant spaces for local enterprises. It has the double benefit of bringing more shoppers and creating more life." 

Mr Westbury said that vacant space in a shopping centre can become dead space. 

On the other hand, filling areas in a retail district can bring in other businesses, who take advantage of the increased activity.

"When you can get a centre where there are a bunch of empty shops, the best thing you can do is put something there to bring people in," he said. 

"So in Newcastle, there were 20 vacant spots while a lot of the others were struggling. There is a catch 22 where if you have empty shops it impacts on all the others. No one wants to be the first to open on an empty block. 

"It has changed pretty dramatically (in Newcastle). There are still some vacant spots but a lot of restaurants and cafes, commercial art galleries, have opened up."

The small outlets that are part of Renew program and among the type of enterprises Myer Ballarat is looking at are usually creative projects. Many have grown as a result of their participation.

Mr Westbury promoted the examples of a jeweller that has since grown into a full commercial business, and a streetwear designer that was started by a group of young men aged 17 to 21 selling t-shirts, which has since become a full commercial tenant. 

"We've done something like 110 projects and in many cases they become full commercial tenants. 

"We like to refer to them as our 'graduates'," Mr Westbury said.