Clover Moore Wants The Sydney CBD To Go 24-Hours, But There’s A Lockout Law Catch
So what does that mean about the existing lockout laws?
The City of Sydney council has today released its official response to a review in trading hours, recommending a 24-hour business zone in the CBD.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has backed the new push for round-the-clock trading as an attempt to help boost the harbour city’s overall nightlife offerings, which, thanks to the nefarious lockout laws and the seemingly endless construction of the new light rail, has become, shall we say, a bit shit.
As per the map below, the plan would see the entire CBD, from Circular Quay down to Central Station, opened up to 24 hour trading. The dark green bits below already have extended trading hours just FYI.
Via City of Sydney
The kicker? If passed in council, the new 24 hour trading zones would unfortunately not override the NSW Government’s existing 1.30am lockout laws that still apply to most of Kings Cross and the CBD’s booze dens.
Whilst old mate Cloves says she eventually wants to see extended hours for small bars and cafes in the city, this move seems to be mostly targeted at unlicensed retail and businesses, such as bookstores, clothing shops, banks, and hairdressers.
“What they [Sydneysiders] do not want is a city that is unsafe or that shuts down as soon as the sun goes down,” she tells the SMH, noting how the proposed changes “set the foundations for a truly 24-hour Sydney into the future”.
So for now Sydney is looking at a future where you can get your haircut at 3am but have to be inside a bar before 1.30am if you want a bev. But hey, it’s a start. The council will vote on the recommended changes later this month.