Hotel and bar owners take on red tape and city’s ‘fun police’

AN 80-year-old denied entry to a Kings Cross nightclub and a bar owner banned from having a pinball machine are the latest victim’s of bureaucratic red tape strangling the city’s night-life. Now hotel and bar owners are hitting back. FIND OUT HOW

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A BAR owner banned from operating a pinball machine inside his venue. An 80-year-old grandmother denied entry to a pub because she doesn’t have ID. Police getting out a ruler to measure the size of “security” lettering on a bouncer’s clothing.

This is Sydney, 2018, where lockout laws and nanny state councils have descended into bureaucratic farce where fun is the main casualty across the entire State.

Now hotel and bar owners who are sick of Sydney’s stifled night-life are preparing to take on the state government, councils and ridiculous rules.

The new Night-time Industries Association represents more than 100 venues in NSW, including Solotel, Century Venues, Mary’s Group and the independent Bars Association.

They are pushing to wind back lockout laws, create a NSW cabinet minister for the night-time economy, cut council red tape, have a one-stop shop for noise complaints and review NSW planning laws.

Night-time Industries Association chair Michael Rodrigues is calling for a wind back of lockout laws. Picture: Daniel Boud

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At the event’s launch on Wednesday night, Night-time Industries Association chair Michael Rodrigues said venue owners have to potentially deal with seven different government agencies about noise complaints.

“Sydney is fast becoming a retirement village for young people,” Mr Rodrigues told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Banning pinball machines, disco balls and rock bands you have to say what is next?

“Time is running out for politicians to step up and get rid of these crazy rules.”

Mr Rodrigues said he expects the number of venues they represent to increase in the coming weeks. Angry group members revealed a long list of red tape madness afflicting venues to the Sunday Telegraph.

Solotel CEO Justine Baker — whose venues include the Kings Cross Hotel, The Sheaf, Chophouse Parramatta and Clock Hotel Surry Hills — said the industry is over regulated.

“About six months ago we had an 80-year-old woman come up to the Kings Cross Hotel with her children and grandchildren to celebrate some sort of event,” she said.

“She didn’t have any ID and so, because of the laws about scanning IDs, we had to deny her entry. We had no choice.

“We need to stand up, start having the conversation and not take this.

“We used to bite our tongues about this sort of stuff. Not now.”

Opposition to lockout laws — introduced after an outcry at late night alcohol fuelled violence around bars and clubs — and complaints about NSW’s lacklustre live entertainment scene are not new.

However, this is the first time a significant number of big hotel and bar owners have banded together to push for change to the night-time economy.

They have also formed four months before the State Election at a time when Sydney’s night-life is back on the agenda.

Solotel CEO Justine Baker says the industry is over-regulated. Picture: Jenny Evans

On Thursday the Legislative Council’s inquiry into the Music and Arts Economy in NSW hands down its report.

The inquiry heard evidence about the lockout laws and is expected to address the issue, along with the dying live music scene in NSW.

In the same week NSW parliament will also debate on the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party Repeal of Lock-Out Laws Bill.

A spokeswoman for Racing Minister Paul Toole “the NSW Government welcomes feedback from industry, the community, law enforcement and the health sector, and will continue to consider that input”.

“The liquor law changes were introduced in 2014 in response to concerns about alcohol-related ­violence and struck a balance between those concerns and the night-time economy,” she said.

“The NSW Government welcomes feedback from industry, the community, law enforcement and the health sector.”

Prominent emergency department director Dr Gordian Fulde, who pushed for the lockout laws, said society must consider the impact of any changes.

“The regulations came about to stop people spilling out onto the street where we would see so much alcohol fuelled violence,” he said.

Earl’s Juke Joint owner Pasan Wijesena is banned from having a pinball machine inside his Newtown bar. Picture: Tim Hunter

The NSW Police Association remains opposed to any changes to the lockout laws, saying they have prevented thousands of assaults and injuries.

But all the political talk is meaningless to bar owners who are struggling to make their venues attractive.

Earl’s Juke Joint owner Pasan Wijesena is banned from having a pinball machine in his 110-capacity bar because of council restrictions.

Live entertainment is also not allowed.

The bans exist is despite his bar already complying with council rules to limit the amount of noise coming from the venue.

“So why not allow entertainment as long as it satisfies the acoustic measures that the venue is already accountable for?” he said.

“You go down the road and there are poker machines going off at all hours, but the council tells me I can’t have a Pacman arcade game in my bar.

“There is this cut-and-paste approach that bans things without assessing individual venues.”