Five areas needed to save Sydney’s ‘dead’ nightlife, standing beer gardens to be allowed

These are the five key areas needed to help breathe life back into Sydney’s nightlife, as Premier Chris Minns moves to loosen booze bans.

An antiquated Covid-era rule banning pubs, restaurants and cafes for using alfresco dining areas as standing beer gardens will be axed, as Premier Chris Minns moves to loosen public booze bans “strangling Sydney’s nightlife.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that venues will soon be allowed to use alfresco dining areas on footpaths, gardens and carparks as standing beer gardens.

Until now, venues could only use alfresco areas for seated dining, under a bizarre hangover from the pandemic.

“We are getting the social scene back on its feet in Sydney and right across NSW,” Night-Time Economy Minister John Graham said.

“Adults will again be trusted to choose whether they stand or sit while having a drink.”

Mila Lopes and Fernanda Castro, waitresses at Coop Bronte are in favour of loosening rules stangling Sydney’s night life. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

Mr Minns conceded on Tuesday that Sydney is “largely dead” on weekend evenings, promising to scrap red tape banning fun.

“Having an economy that fires up at 5pm during the week is really important for cities like Sydney and that means we’ve got to be open to cutting red tape,” he said.

The comments came as Labor’s candidate looking to end Clover Moore’s 20 year reign as Sydney Lord Mayor promised to turbocharge five “special entertainment precincts” in the city.

Under the plan, five areas of the city would be transformed into entertainment hubs: YCK Laneways (an area around York, Clarence, and Kent Streets), Uptown Sydney near Circular Quay, the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park, and King Street in Newtown.

Entertainment zones have clearer rules about noise complaints making it easier for venues to host live music and harder for NIMBYS to complain. Performances and music are allowed in any space within the precinct, allowing shops, cafes and hairdressers to be used for entertainment instead of sitting empty and shut at night.

Licensed live music and performance venues in the special entertainment precincts can stay open longer than in other areas, and get a discount in annual licensing and trading fees.

Labor Lord Mayor candidate Zann Maxwell (centre) pictured at Jackson’s on George, is pushing for the expansion of special entertainment precincts. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

The “special entertainment precincts,” first introduced following the Covid pandemic, have helped revive areas like Enmore in the Inner West Council.

“Clover Moore has had three years to take advantage of them, and she hasn’t lifted a finger,” said Labor Lord Mayoral candidate Zann Maxwell.

“Just because she’s asleep at the wheel on night-life and vibrancy, it doesn’t mean everyone else should have to go to bed before 10 o’clock,” he said.

“We will work with businesses to get more people back into the city and get and our high streets and get our night-life and vibrancy firing again.”

While Labor’s council candidates are pledging to open up certain parts of the city for more music and entertainment, the Premier said Sydneysiders should be allowed to drink on footpaths to end rules “strangling” fun.

“If you go to any international city around the world and Sydney is certainly one of those, they have a night time environment that include maybe a hotelier, a pub or even a club allowing people to have a drink on the footpath or sidewalk or wherever you are, but in Sydney that’s virtually impossible,” Mr Minns said.

“The rules are strangling any kind of night-life and fun in Sydney and we need to try and get the balance right.”

In London and most major cities, patrons are allowed to stand in alfresco settings. Picture: Getty Images

He said the current restrictions are killing Sydney’s “vibrancy,” and conceded on 2GB that the city is “largely dead” after dark on the weekend.

Night Time Industries Association CEO Mick Gibb welcomed Mr Minns’ comments on Tuesday, but warned that any inconsistency could make things worse.

“To make this work for the long haul we need to make sure the current rules and regulations for licensed venues will be fit for purpose and without inconsistencies,” he said.

“If someone was enjoying a beer in a nearby park and takes the final few sips while lined up to get into the pub, the venue would have to deny them entry for drinking on approach,” he said

Jacksons on George owner and licensee Michael Broome said turning the Uptown area near Circular Quay into a “special entertainment precinct” would help patrons enjoy 60 different shops and bars.

“It would be a hell of a lot,” Mr Broome said.

Mr Broome, the Uptown precinct Treasurer, said the “common sense” move would help businesses understand “what we can and can’t do”.

Airlia Georgoussis, manager of Coop Bronte, said allowing people to drink while mingling outside a pub would help “create a sense of community”.

“it can be relaxed, you aren’t in a rush, so it creates more connections for people and if that’s happening people will have more incentive to go out again,” she said.