Canberra cafe closes as light rail construction wipes out foot traffic
Ralph Packard closed Tree Eighty3 cafe after light rail construction on London Circuit East cut foot traffic and made the business unviable.
Ralph Packard owned Tree Eighty3 in Canberra's Bailey's Corner for years before shutting down earlier this year. Ralph Packard expected disruption to the western side of London Circuit.
Packard got blindsided when construction unexpectedly affected the eastern side instead. The street closed from Commonwealth Avenue to Theatre Lane.
Foot traffic disappeared overnight. Packard supports the light rail project.
But he says damage was done: while expenses went up, the big variable was foot traffic. Customers vanished.
The broader problem for Canberra's CBD goes beyond construction, he argues. Parking is poor, work-from-home culture has cut office workers, and competition from newer sub-cities like Woden and Gungahlin means fewer people need to visit the city centre.
- Bailey's Corner, Canberra
- Cafe location
- Commonwealth Avenue to Theatre Lane
- Street closure
- Woden and Gungahlin
- Competing centres
Why it mattersSmall businesses in construction zones face sudden revenue collapse. A government inquiry into Canberra's night-time economy found many need stronger relief than current measures provide.
AustraliaOther small businesses in Canberra's city centre face similar pressures; local government and business groups are debating whether temporary financial support should help traders survive light rail construction.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
