Ashley Wilderink, owner of the Brothers Ben cafe in Petersham, says coffee sales during the week are up “a huge amount” compared to before the pandemic.

 

“So many people are working from home and they’re wanting coffee in the morning and they’re wanting lunch options as well, so that’s definitely gone up for us,” she said.

 

“We’ve found the support from our local community has been awesome … right now being in a residential area is a gold mine I think.”

 

The Brothers Ben cafe was forced to close for a fortnight in the early stages of the pandemic after a customer with a reported case of coronavirus visited. It has been serving only takeaway food and drinks since then.

 

“It’s working for us,” Ms Wilderink said. “People appreciate that we’re trying to keep everyone safe.”