A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed the Orana Mall, Riverdale and Delroy Park stores would be unaffected by Monday’s announcement that 17 of the poorest performing stores were earmarked to be closed.

The Wellington store was also not among those that will be shut down in the next 12 months.

“We look forward to continuing to serve our Dubbo and Wellington customers with quality produce and our everyday low prices, and we thank them for their ongoing loyalty,” the spokesperson said.

Woolworths is celebrating 50 years in the city after opening its first variety store in 1966.

The spokesperson said the number of stores earmarked for closure was extremely small compared to the number of supermarkets it operated across Australia.

“As part of our plan to turn the business around, Woolworths has recently announced some changes to our store operations,” he said. “This announcement will see us close 17 under-performing supermarkets across Australia over the next year.

“Woolworths operates more than 970 supermarkets and will still open 45 new supermarkets over the next three years, while continuing to employ 180,000 Australians.”

It remains to be seen whether there will be other impacts for stores in the area.

Former Woolworths CEO Grant O’Brien told a Dubbo Chamber of Commerce and Industry breakfast in June 2015 that there were plans to expand their supermarket at Delroy Park within five years. 

The spokesperson said he could not comment on future expansion plans.

A plan to build a Masters hardware store in Dubbo also fell through when Woolworths announced they would abandon the failed chain.

Woolworths employs about 500 people directly in its stores around Dubbo.