Sydney's inner-west nightlife needs more than a late-night 'shot in the arm', say venue owners
Venue owners say more needs to be done to bring back Sydney's nightlife than just extending opening hours, after a local council approved a proposal aimed at revitalising hospitality in the inner west.
Bars, pubs and music venues in specified zones in Marrickville, Balmain, Rozelle, Dulwich Hill and Leichhardt will be able to open until 2am on Friday, Saturday and the night before public holidays as part of six new special entertainment precincts approved by Inner West Council last week.
Outdoor trading and dining until midnight will also be on the cards, with the precincts the latest addition to a state policy introduced in October 2024 that is aimed at creating "high-quality, diverse districts which support live performance", according to the NSW government.
The regulations also allow small live performances without development applications, opening up live music and art shows to more venues.
The proposal is aimed at giving artists and hospitality in the area "a big shot in the arm", Mayor Darcy Byrne said on Tuesday.
"While other councils are shutting down entertainment, we are doing the opposite and want to attract more venues and performers to our main streets," he said.
The new precincts mirror the rules governing the Enmore Road district — which has been operating since September 2022 as a special entertainment zone and is set to be expanded — and will require state government rubber-stamping before licences can be granted.
The director and owner of Titus Jones bar in Marrickville, Merrick Webb, said that, although opening for more hours was appealing, it didn't address the core issues affecting hospitality.
Mr Webb listed infrastructure as a key issue, with Marrickville station closed until next year due to Metro works.
The outdoor seating proposal was "very attractive", he said, and could increase capacity by 15 per cent, but he also noted the cost of security and the need for more lighting in the area to make the proposal viable for his business.
Craig Pietersen, the owner of Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville, said extended licences were not the key to fixing hospitality issues in Sydney.
"I think they're looking down the wrong pond," he said, and listed the cost of living as a main issue in bringing people out to eat and drink.
His business already has a licence to open until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights and Mr Pietersen said they struggled to keep the venue busy after 1am.
Others like Caroline Buckingham, owner of Butchers Brew Bar, Dulwich Hill, said she was happy to see Inner West Council "going in to bat" for small venues.
"We probably wouldn't be open until 2am every Friday and Saturday, but it would be good to have it there if there's call for it," she said.
Cr Byrne said the council would ask the state government to approve the new precincts as soon as possible to kickstart what he called the "genuine renaissance of Sydney's nightlife" based in the inner west.
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