Williamtown cafe owners Kylie and Rodd Gurr are anticipating a busy summer holiday period as regional travel is once again opened to Sydney visitors from November 1.
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The influx will come as a welcome relief to the pair behind the Fighter Beans and Central Beans cafes, with the Gurrs hoping to claw back even a fraction of the income lost throughout the pandemic and during the most recent lockdown.
"We've just been in survival mode," Mr Gurr said. "You never know what one day to the next can bring. One day you can have 100 per cent trade, and the next absolutely nothing.
"We're seeing more people now but we're only about 50 per cent there. We're expecting to be busy again when Fighter World reopens, and when Sydney and Victorian people can visit.
"If it's anything like the reopening after the first lockdown, we'll be seeing a lot of people out and using their Dine and Discover vouchers."
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The Gurrs, from Medowie, shut down the Central Beans Cafe during the most recent lockdown and operated the Fighter Beans Cafe, next to Fighter World, by themselves.
They were forced to stand down their 12 staff members.
The pair were able to bring one staff member back as they began offering delivery during the lockdown, a service that proved extremely popular, Mrs Gurr said, and more as Central Beans reopened at the end of September.
The rest of the Gurr's staff have come back on deck as the Fighter Beans Cafe prepares to fully reopen on Monday.
Mrs Gurr said the decision to keep Fighter Beans Cafe open was to support essential workers, those working and living on the RAAF base and the surrounding community.
"There really isn't much else around in Williamtown," she said. "We wanted to support the community and they have supported us.
"We offered pick ups and delivery of our entire menu, which was a big hit. We've had a lot of support from customers who keep coming back. Without that, we wouldn't have been able to stay open."
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Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
