Manly and Brookvale: Push for entertainment precincts to boost night-life, music

Live music venues, eateries and bars on the northern beaches could stay open longer if a new push to create ‘special entertainment precincts’ is successful. See what it means here.

Alexandria Thomas, 23, (left) with Ella Schamschula, 22, at the Little Pearl Bar, in Manly, which would be able to stay open later at night if the area became a designated ”Special Entertainment Precinct”. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A push is on to have “Special Entertainment Precincts” declared on the northern beaches that allow later closing times for live music venues, eateries and bars.

In a move to boost the local hospitality industry the council is set to look at changing rules around night time noise and trading hours in areas like Manly and Brookvale.

Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins will ask the council to back a motion to lodge an Expression of Interest in setting up the precincts, through the NSW Government’s Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.

Cr Heins wants to take advantage of new laws that enable “vibrant” precincts to be established that allow more “favourable” trading conditions for live music venues, restaurants and bars to rejuvenate the “night time economy”.

Micro-breweries in Brookvale, like the Freshwater Brewing Co, could benefit from longer opening hours if the suburnb became an official entertainment precinct. Picture: Danielle Chloe Lynar

Venues in Special Entertainment Precincts, can add two extra hours on nights when live music is offered, and one hour on other nights.

If it got the go-ahead, the council would manage noise from unlicensed venues while Liquor & Gaming NSW would manage entertainment sound complaints for licensed venues.

Cr Heins said the council would be also be able to draw up plans to encourage more live music and performance venues.

The 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues has already made several visits to the northern beaches.

Live music venues, like Hotel Steyne at Manly, would potentially be able to extend opening hours. Picture: Joe Murphy

Cr Heins said Mr Rodrigues was especially interested in the Brookvale Arts District — a not-for-profit community organisation, started by business owners, to transform the industrial suburb into a lifestyle precinct.

The mayor said entertainment precincts added certainty, for businesses and locals, about what the noise rules were.

“This would give a level of protection to those kinds of businesses who want to do something different at night.”

Cr Heins stressed that the extended hours need not just be used by food and beverage providers.

Live music at Bucketty's Brewing Co. in Brookvale. Picture: Bucketty’s Brewing Co.

“There are lots of other things that can be happening at night that are creative … for people who want to stay out. It doesn’t have to be drinking.

“You could be a bookshop that decides to stay open for poetry readings”.

Cr Heins said she was also calling, at Tuesday night’s council meeting, for a briefing to councillors to help them agree about which areas were suitable for entertainment precincts.

“In my mind its Brookvale and Manly.”

Prominent Manly hospitality operator Matt Clifton, who has a number of venues under the Saga Group including InSitu, The Cumberland, Donny’s Bar, and Henry G’s, backed the mayor’s push.

Mr Clifton, who is also chair of the Experience Manly tourism advocacy group, said it was a fantastic first step by the council.

Matt Clifton, of the Saga Group, who operates several venues in Manly, backed the bid for the seaside suburb to become a “Special Entertainment Precinct”. Picture: Damian Shaw

“In reality we’re already a destination hub for a range of businesses in the night time economy.

“What the 24-hour Commissioner’s office is doing is enabling businesses like cafes, restaurants and bars to be able to trade healthy without being dictated to by residents.

“We need to find a happy balance between residents and businesses.

“It’s a bit one-sided and it’s been one-sided for quite some time.

“You can’t have a thumping nightclub at 3am without noise mitigation measures, but cafes and restaurants trading into the early hours is reasonable for an entertainment precinct.”