The survey of 97 residents has been revealed in a report to councillors that could help pave the way for changes to the hospitality sector that could last long after the pandemic recedes.

Councillors will vote on a proposal to extend current outdoor dining options another 10 months to April 2022, as well as whether to greenlight more research into how effective the scheme has been.

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The council has been trialling outdoor dining ever since the pandemic decimated hospitality trade in 2020.

More than 51 businesses have leaned on outdoor dining since social distancing restrictions began easing last September.

Businesses across the city have taken advantage of changes to expand into car parks and even to take over traffic lanes in some quieter streets.

Story continues below this Bendigo Advertiser poll:

That includes one lane on Bull Street, which 81 per cent of the council's survey respondents said should continue in some form long term.

People were more divided on whether outdoor dining in the street should be allowed all year round or only in the warmer months.

More than 50 per cent of people supported seasonal changes.

Three quarters of respondents did not have a problem with outdoor diners filling vacant car spaces but about 40 per cent thought it should only be in the warmer months and 15 per cent on certain days of the week.

International planning experts have been closely watching how people have responded when cities have closed off roads and car parks because they believe it will make streetscapes more welcoming.

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Some, like walkable cities expert Rodney Tolley, believe that on-street parking effectively gives inert "blocks of metal" exclusive rights to use the most valuable spaces at the expense of potential business customers.

Dr Tolley was one of the key thinkers who shaped a push in the mid-2000s to change parts of Bull Street to make it safer and more welcoming for pedestrians.

The push proved controversial back then, with a backlash from some people including motorists who feared parts of the city could become harder to navigate or find parks in.

Bendigo's council officers say it is too early to tell what long-term options for the current outdoor dining push will look like.

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They have told councillors the recent survey may have missed important perspectives.

"Given the vast majority [of survey respondents] had dined in a venue, it is difficult to determine to what extent this is reflective of the broader community," they wrote in a report ahead of next Monday's council meeting.

Those who did respond to the survey gave both positive and negative feedback about trials.

Some reported that outdoor dining gave areas colour, liveliness, a social vibe, discouraged anti-social behaviour and helped businesses.

Others said it created problems around noise, using footpaths and impacts on non-food businesses.

Council offices would aim to do more work on long term dining plans and report back later in the year.

In the meantime, council officers will consider the implications of extending the current trials past the June 30 deadline.

It was able to use a $500,000 state government grant to conduct the initial trial but may need to fund compliance costs, design work and help for businesses if it decides to keep dining going into 2022.

It might also have to consider the cost of other fees to businesses and other practical problems.

"As it stands the city is also currently losing revenue from 28 car parking bays," council officers said.

"This could be partially offset by charging hospitality businesses to use the car parks."

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