Sydney nightlife quiet as lockout laws end

It might have been assumed that on the first weekend after Sydney’s bar and club “lockout” laws came to an end chaos would ensue. It didn’t.

Sydney’s CBD has been mostly without incident in the first weekend since lockout laws were lifted, with venues and emergency service workers expecting the night-life to take some time to bounce back.

The controversial lockout laws were introduced in 2014 after the deaths of one-punch victims Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie and officially repealed on January 14.

They have been lifted everywhere in the CBD except Kings Cross and will be reviewed in 2021.

Emergency service groups had braced for a weekend of increased alcohol-fuelled violence as a result of the New South Wales government’s decision to end the laws. But a NSW Police spokeswoman on Sunday confirmed there were no significant incidents reported on Friday or Saturday night.

“Nothing out of the ordinary happened,” she told AAP.

Some Sydney CBD bars were quiet early on the first Sunday after the lockout laws were lifted. Picture: Steve Tyson

Others, like The Establishment on George Street, had queues outside to get into at 3am. Picture: Bill Hearne

The Australian Hotels Association in NSW said it was a quiet weekend in the CBD which is normally the case for the period between New Year’s Eve and Australia Day.

Liquor and policing director John Green said the lockout laws were a source of conflict and as a result, venues weren’t expecting an increase in patronage straight away.

“Over a period of time we hope to see an increase in people going out to Sydney CBD rather than other areas,” he told AAP on Sunday.

“We want to see them have a meal, see a show, come and experience what the Sydney CBD is like.” It will take a while for people to get used to that, he added. The independent Bars Association of NSW said the weekend brought a lot of “optimism” with early reports suggesting it was “well received” by the industry and the public.

A sign posted outside a Sydney bar after the lockout laws were lifted. Picture: David Swift.

“I don’t think this was going to be a flick-switch moment and we would see the area worst affected change in one weekend,” president Karl Schlothauer told AAP on Sunday.

“We don’t want to see a return of heavy-handed regulations to the CBD, so we all need to do our bit to create a safe and vibrant night-life.” Health Services Union NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said emergency services remain vigilant ahead of an expected increase in activity, and are bracing for a rise in alcohol-related hospital visits.

“Over the next three to four weeks I would be very surprised if we don’t see an enhanced level of activity when the weather is expected to heat up a bit,” he told AAP on Sunday.

The lockouts will continue in Kings Cross. Picture: David Swift.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian in November announced the changes which scrap the 1.30am last entry for all venues in Sydney CBD, remove restrictions on serving cocktails, shots and drinks in glasses after midnight, and end the 10pm curfew on bottle shops.

The last-drinks curfew has also been extended by 30 minutes to 3.30am – an extension which goes against the 3am curfew recommended by doctors.