'Never about the alcohol': new night cafe betting on a sober shift in Canberra nightlife

After spending his twenties pursuing a career in the music industry overseas, Canberra native Jordan Harrison moved back home with a mission.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

or signup to continue reading

Working as a DJ and promoter in Seoul and Berlin, he saw thriving music scenes in which patrons regularly enjoyed their nights out without touching a drink.

Now, Mr Harrison has brought sober music culture to Canberra by co-founding Trust Cafe, a new sober night-time cafe in Civic.

Manager Jordan Harrison in Civic's new sober night-time venue, Trust Cafe. Picture by Karleen Minney

Trust is half-cozy cafe and half-radio recording studio, open from 4pm to midnight every weekday, with constant Canberra DJs serving up local independent music alongside the food and drink offerings.

Half of its profit will go into providing alcohol-free club nights in addition to the regular weeknight cafe experience. The other half will go towards Aboriginal-owned and operated charity The Living Country.

Mr Harrison said he was inspired to open the cafe when he returned to Canberra and reskilled as a teacher.

Aakanksha Sidhu and Jordan Harrison co-founded Trust FM, Canberra's online radio highlighting local artists, earlier this year. Picture by Keegan Carroll

"In Berlin I went to events where hardly anyone was drinking," he said. "That opened my eyes to how possible it is to party without alcohol."

"Then I spent five years teaching, working with young people every day. I kept seeing how many of them felt left out of nightlife because it's built around drinking."

On his own nights out in Civic, Mr Harrison saw the same things he saw when he was 18 and studying at the Australian National University.

"I saw people spewing in the streets or fighting. I realised that the main issue is safety in clubs. They're dominated by alcohol."

Following in the footsteps of Kita, Narrabundah's thriving alcohol-free night cafe, Trust is aiming towards an audience of passionate fans of music, university students, and the Civic after-work crowd.

"The demand is real," Mr Harrison said. "Young Canberrans are drinking less than any generation before them, but there's almost nowhere for them to go at night."

Recent card transaction data revealed that Canberra's night-time economy is increasingly concentrated in dining, rather than drinking, while many bar owners face significant costs related to selling alcohol.

In forgoing the alcohol, Mr Harrison avoids paying for a liquor licence, a security team, significant insurance coverage, and increasing costs charged by alcohol suppliers.

The report on the inquiry, published on October 16, established "nightlife beyond liquor" as a core principle for the ongoing reform of ACT nightlife.

For Mr Harrison, Trust Cafe fills a gap that is evidently opening in Canberra's nightlife.

"We're open every night with live DJs from Trust FM, plus crafternoons and social club events, so there's always something on... [The] report calls for exactly that kind of 'always on' activity.

"Plenty of people don't drink, for health, faith, recovery, or just preference, and they deserve a great night out too."