On opposite sides of St George’s Terrace, two cafes tell the story of how Perth’s CBD is recovering from COVID.
Key points:
- The removal of mask mandates brought workers back to the CBD
- But flexible work policies mean fewer are in the office than before
- It means the CBD will need to keep evolving to meet changing demand
Many businesses that relied on office workers’ dollars were pushed to the brink over the first half of the year with mask mandates keeping many at home.
“You could almost play footy down the Terrace,” was barista Anthony Arnold’s assessment.
From behind the coffee machine at the base of a 12-storey office building, he has had a front-row seat to the effects of staff working from home.
“We’re still probably about 50 per cent to a third away from where it was beforehand, but definitely noticing a difference week-to-week,” he said.
Unique dishes help weather COVID storm
Across the road sits a very different cafe, offering cheesecakes that look like actual slices of cheese and coffee served in an avocado.
Co-owner Nancy Seng said her focus was not on serving workers, but instead on doing “something different”.
“We always wanted to bring something new to Perth,” she said.
“Especially with our desserts as well, you probably can’t see…
