Deputy mayor Bobby Bourke, who helps run the shop, cut the ribbon with mayor Graeme Hanger and state member Paul Toole.

Cr Bourke said it marked the start of what he hoped would be a good year for the troubled shop.

"2017 wasn't real good for the shop; we had a trailer stolen early in the year, we had a fire mid-year and we had a break-in later in the year, but the community has stood by us," he said.

Since the fire, volunteers have worked out of sheds at the back of the site while the building was repaired. 

Nick Harvey Constructions was contracted by Bathurst Regional Council to conduct the work, which included replacing the roof and structural repairs.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) and other security measures will be installed at the premises to discourage vandals in future. 

Cr Bourke said they still needed to source more stock, but otherwise the shop was able to resume normal operations. 

“We’ve got plenty of clothing, but we’re a bit short of other stuff because when the fire went through we lost the donations and the insurance wouldn’t cover anything donated,” he said. 

Cr Hanger said the op shop building was significant to Bathurst, as is the service volunteers provided, and he was pleased to see it restored.

“Bobby has done a wonderful job here to get it up and running,” he said. 

Mr Toole said the op shop played an essential role in the community and, with the renovations, it could continue to do that at full capacity.

“We need the op shop here in Bathurst,” he said.

“We need the op shop because when you look at what the volunteers do, they are out there helping the community,” he said.