Owner Rohan Cook said since taking over the lease for the Summer Street property more than two-years ago the annual rent increase coupled with unplanned equipment and maintenance expenses had prevented the business from being viable.

Mr Cook said when he compared the past year to the 12 months prior, revenue had dropped 15 per cent.

He said while the business might've looked full on Taco Tuesday and weekends, what was being spent didn't make up for the quieter nights.

"I had some great plans to take it to the next stage. I wanted to progress it from pub food to more of a mediterranean style tapas.

"We looked at several options to fill that space between pubs and restaurants which Orange needs. But we got to a point where it was just too hard."

Mr Cook said locals just aren't frequenting that end of Summer Street, which meant he relied on out-of-town diners which for reasons he understood spent more time at the wineries.

He said the lease for the property was now up for renewal, but with the cost of renting between Hill and Anson streets so high it was expected Percy's would join the growing list of empty shop fronts.

"If I could wish for anything it would be for a decent plan for Summer Street - I don't think council's got that right yet," he said.

"If you look over the last 18 months and look at the amount of people who have closed it just makes me really sad for Orange.

Orange City Council spokesperson Nick Redmond said council wants to make all of the CBD attractive to locals and visitors.

He said the council's decision to hire a team of urban designers to take on the proposed upgrade of the CBD was making good progress.

"Community members of the Future City Reference Panel [a group appointed by council to test audience ideas for the CBD] had heard back from the designers this week and had been impressed by their view of the level of change needed," he said.

"The community will be kept in touch as concrete plans take shape."

Mr Redmond said the issue of high rent in the CBD was a matter of concern that had been raised during recent conversations with the business community.