Schnitz, a hand-made, pan cooked chicken franchise established in 2007, with outlets in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, is to replace Cafe Gaudi, which closed last year after a long battle to stay afloat.

Also on the first level, fresh food marketplace, Kingsley's Chicken is to open in six to eight weeks, replacing Lenard's Chicken which closed in 2014. Across the aisle, one of Sizzle Bento's outlets at the mall has closed. The sushi chain remains open in the basement level, where it is facing fresh competition from new arrival, Genki Sushi .

On the first level, King of Knives has closed and a body building supplements franchise is set to move in, while the lottery ticket office has re-located to a space near Coles. Its old site and the adjoining space previously occupied by Wendy's Ice Cream will be occupied by fresh food franchise Soul Origin.

Edelweiss Deli, which closed in 2014 after 40 years in the mall, re-opened this year with a new owner but has since closed.

Gloria Jeans coffees shop in the basement level has closed and will be replaced by Chocolateria which is part of the San Churro franchise. Two large coffee shops on either side of the Hoyts Theatre are long gone.

Shopping centre giant Scentre, the Australian arm of Frank Lowy's Westfield empire reported in May a healthy first quarter for 2015 up 2.4 per cent for the last 12 months. Scentre's property in Canberra, worth $1.2 billion, comprises 100 per cent of Westfield Belconnen and 50 per cent of Woden.

A trader who declined to be named said too many shopping centres in Canberra were making it more difficult for retailers. Westfield had to change its business model to reflect the changing times, he said.

"Westfield is not moving with the times, not like five years ago, so there are shops not seeing their leases out. They are just leaving. We have approaches from other shopping centres offering to negotiate with rent, but Westfield won't negotiate with incumbents, only the newcomers. That frustrates us. We all fear when our lease runs out, facing another increase in rent of 3 or 4 per cent."

Henry Kazar, a partner in insolvency firm Kazar Slaven, says the franchise model will perform if franchisees receive ongoing support from their franchisor. They often have an advantage of being an established brand.

"If they are established in the market place and they have good people, [a franchise] is actually a good idea, it enables people the opportunity to get into business for themselves. It takes a solid franchisor and a person who is prepared to roll up their sleeves and work hard, it is not going to work without them either."

Mr Kazar said risky coffee shop ventures may be a reflection of people unable to get a job elsewhere, because the labor market is difficult. "The option of opening your own business becomes more attractive because at least you would be earning yourself a wage," he said. "Some of these people would be buying themselves a job, and there is nothing wrong with that."

Mr Kazar said the building industry, being a dominant business in Canberra, restaurants, retailing and gyms were all feeling the pinch. "Where discretionary expenditure is involved, people are finding it a bit harder. But go to [coffee shop] Double Shot in Deakin, they have created something the market likes and are doing well."