Parramatta night time economy excludes Church St dining strip

A plan to bolster late-night trading at Parramatta has left out a key source of entertainment — its theatre and dining precinct.

A plan to introduce 24-hour trading in Parramatta’s CBD has left out a key source of entertainment — its theatre and dining precinct at Church St.

Under the Parramatta Council plan called the draft Parramatta Night City Framework, which has not yet been formally adopted, it has a vision for operating some venues to 3am and others for 24 hours so the CBD becomes a thriving night time destination.

Venues would include Smith St in the commercial zone and sections of Church St but not the dining strip leading to the Riverside Theatre, mainly because it is also home to residential apartments.

Parramatta Night City Framework artists impressions of how an area outside St John's Anglican Cathedral would look.

Some venues can operate to 2am but most have an 11am curfew.

In a submission to the council, Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger welcomed the “flexible” plan but asked the council to reconsider including the “vibrant” Eat St for late night trading.

“Church St has been the most successful retail street in Parramatta and I guess my view is if someone decides to live in an apartment building above Church St, you’re buying into a busy precinct,’’ he said.

Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger says Eat St is too vibrant to be excluded. Picture: John Appleyard

“It’s a bit late to complain about the noise after you’ve bought into a 200-year retail street. I think they should allow the later trading in Church St and be a bit more generous to those Church St restaurants that have had it so tough.’’

He said the section of Church St, which links the station with the Riverside theatre, CommBank Stadium and Parramatta Park, was the only part of the CBD which had “existing and strong late-night economy”.

Our Local Community councillor Michelle Garrard echoed calls for its inclusion.

“I don’t at all support that this is excluded,’’ she said.

“I think when people buy a unit in the middle of the CBD dining precinct they have to expect a certain amount of noise because their area is activated.

“I think there’s a way to activate the space and accommodate residents. I think the night life economy is the most important strategy for Parramatta and it needs to accommodate all the CBD. We can’t pick and choose which parts of the CBD.’’

Arman Ghasemian, who lives in an apartment above a restaurant, backed late-night trading to help businesses bounce back from Covid and light rail construction.

“It’s not the best thing with noise but I’m fine with it,’’ the 31-year-old said.

“It’s probably Thursday and Saturday nights that it can get a little loud — on occasion you have these groups that are particularly loud but the general crowd isn’t.

“It’s like a general hum. Having said that, it was a lot worse during (light rail) construction. We would have jackhammers at two or three in the morning so I’m willing to take crowds instead of jackhammers.”

Noise from the crowds does not faze Church St resident Arman Ghasemian.

However, John Chammas, who owns Mama’s & Papas at Church St, dismissed the need for constant trading.

Despite having a 24-hour licence since he bought the City Extra premises when it closed in 2017, he said there was no demand for late night trading, which would mean expensive overheads and pose security problems.

“There’s just not enough demand for food at 2,3 o’clock in the morning,’’ he said.

“It’s a ghost town after 10, 11 o’clock during the week.

“The only place that did it for a long time was City Extra. That was here for 30 years. That used to be 24 hours. Maybe for the last 10 years it was a waste of time.

“I don’t have a lot of confidence in it, no. There’s nothing here other than to come eat and drink. I don’t know what would draw people besides nightclubs.’’

John Chammas says there is no demand for 24-hour trading. Picture: John Appleyard

Labor councillor Sameer Pandey said businesses and residents’ feedback would be analysed this month. The plan will then be submitted to the council for endorsement in March.

This is not the first time the night strategy has been open to public feedback but Cr Garrard said it could be put on public exhibition again if key changes needed to be made.

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