By Mary Ward
Working for 17 years as an ICU nurse, Gerome Creencia became used to night shift. What he was never quite able to stomach, however, was being unable to get a decent cup of coffee at work.
“There was nothing good overnight, really just McDonald’s,” he said.
“And there’s only so many Uber Eats delivery fees you can pay until you realise you’re really spending too much money on that.”
Gerome Creencia serves coffees between 9pm and 3am to hospital staff in Sydney.Credit: Edwina Pickles
When he left nursing, Creencia wanted to help make life more bearable for emergency workers. Last year he acquired a van, befriended a local coffee roaster, and GW (Good Work) Barista was born.
It is a gripe among Sydneysiders of all occupations that it’s impossible to get a coffee here after 3pm.
But the lack of caffeine is a particular problem for those who start their day after all the cafes have shut: hospitality staff, emergency services and, of course, hospital workers.
Gerome Creencia shows the set-up inside the GW Barista coffee van. Credit: Edwina Pickles
Creencia stresses a night-shift coffee van is not an original idea – similar businesses, run by roasters, have come and gone in Sydney and Melbourne – but the gap in the market has allowed him to serve coffee outside Concord Hospital from 9pm, before moving to RPA at 11.30pm and Canterbury at 2am.
Like most other baristas, he clocks off at three.
GW Barista serves Brew Ha Ha coffee, roasted in Lilyfield, and pastries from Hearthe cafe in Stanmore. Oh, and they do matcha. Little extras like that are important, Creencia says.
“Working night shift, you already have the cheap coffee from the machine that is free at work. Or, you treat yourself and buy better coffee,” he said.
“It’s about what getting a coffee represents. It’s a break: you go and get coffee as a group, and have a quick chat. Good coffee can really change your mindset.”
Data from the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner’s latest night-time economy quarterly report shows there has been a small increase in “core night-time businesses” in NSW.
More than 53,500 such businesses were operating in September 2024, a 1.6 per cent increase from the same time in 2023.
The greatest rise was seen in takeaway food businesses, which increased by 4.4 per cent. Pubs, taverns and bars slightly declined, down 1 per cent.
Blacktown, Bringelly and St Marys all had a 20 per cent uptick in night-time businesses in the two years to September 2024. Sydney’s inner city recorded 4.2 per cent growth in such businesses during that time, from a much higher base.
The state government’s updated 24-hour economy strategy, published in September, highlighted the need to improve night-time services and safety for shift workers.
Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said at the time that meeting the needs of these workers represented an “enormous opportunity” for the night-time economy.
Creencia says his regulars are grateful to finally be able to access something during the night.
“Night shift is already hard enough. You have to prepare your meals. It is good to have something available.”
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