Kings Cross bar Mirage KX wins extended trading hour battle despite NIMBY backlash

The owner of the famous Bondi Icebergs restaurant has hit back at NIMBYs after winning an extension of trading hours for his Kings Cross bar, heralding the victory as a boon in the battle to revive the “dying” precinct.

A Kings Cross bar and live music venue has been given the green light to stay open until 3am despite backlash from nearby NIMBYs, who feared “drunk and rowdy” behaviour, noise and mental health impacts.

Maurice Terzini, who also owns the famous Bondi Icebergs restaurant, launched Mirage KX last year and says the extended trading hours will bring much-needed nightlife back to the Cross and revive the “dying” precinct.

The City of Sydney has approved a one-year trial, allowing the Bayswater Rd nightspot to extend its closing time behind midnight, despite the proposal sparking stiff resistance from nearby homeowners.

Multiple neighbours living within earshot of the venue had called for the council to refuse the time extension due to concerns over noise and other disturbances.

Kelly Steele, the strata manager of a nearby 39-unit building, claimed some residents were unable to sleep due to the current noise emanating from Mirage KX, as well as the sound of “drunken patrons leaving the club”.

Bondi Icebergs owner Maurice Terzini launched the Kings Cross venue last year.

“Noise levels emanating from and as a result of patronage of KX are intolerable and are disturbing the physical and mental wellbeing of residents,” she wrote in a submission to the council.

“While this level of noise can affect anyone, the elderly and shift workers such as nurses are particularly affected.”

Maurice Terzini wants to boost the nightlife in the once-thriving Kings Cross.

Resident Ilse Dittes, in another submission, stated 3am trading hours would be “intolerable” for the community.

Other submissions raised concerns over “individuals shouting and screaming on the streets”, cars “honking their horns” and car doors being slammed” which could “destroy the harmony and peaceful environment” of the suburb.

Mr Terzini, who launched Mirage KX alongside co-owner Peter Shopovski in mid-2024, hit back at the criticism.

“In my view, everything in the Cross should be open 24 hours because development is always going to happen in the inner city and we’re just doing business,” he said.

“There’s a whole community of neighbours who love what we’re doing and we’re just trying to bring back some vibrancy to the Cross.

“The venue used to be a strip club and a nightclub before we took over.

“It’s probably been there before many of the neighbours moved in.

The Mirage KX venue. Picture: Facebook

“Our main hope to bring some positivity to the area.

“We’re not there to keep people awake at night, but we also need to bring some much needed vibrancy into a dying commercial precinct.”

The council’s approval follows the NSW Government’s recent announcement of reforms that include giving venues protections against noise complaints from residents.

These followed the lifting, in 2021, of contentious lockout laws that restricted the operating hours of venues in parts of Sydney, including Kings Cross, in a move to revive the city’s nightlife.

Mirage KX – in its application to the council for the extending trading hours – stated the 3am limits would contribute to the local night-time economy.

“Following the Covid-19 pandemic and previous lockout laws, the city’s night-time economy is still recovering,” the plans stated.

“The proposal will support this recovery by providing a vibrant and safe entertainment venue that will operate until 3am.”

The venue had applied to the council to have the 3am limits trialled for five years, but it only received approved for an initial 12-month period.

The council found the venue had adequate plans of management and noise mitigation measures in place to address potential disturbances, including noise.