Sydney’s nightlife is marred by the perception that kitchens close early,hurting its ambition to become a 24-hour city.
Late-night venue Goros in Surry Hills serves Japanese cuisine as well as karaoke,drinks and dance music into the small hours.Flavio Brancaleone
But while staffing,safety concerns,public transport and the cost-of-living crisis are making it harder for diners to enjoy a late evening,there are still pockets of Sydney that keep the lights on.
The NSW government has also created late-night trading areas such as the York,Clarence and Kent (YCK) street precinct in the city,Enmore Road and Lakemba.
Further afield,Burwood Chinatown and Wigram Street in Harris Park also offer plenty of food options for diners late in the evening.
The Ivy precinct on George Street has more late-night options than before the pandemic,with Jimmy’s Falafel,Bar Totti’s and MuMu all open until 2am for dining from Thursday to Saturday.
“We’ve definitely noticed more people wanting to dine out at all times,not just at the usual 6pm and 8pm seating times,” said Merivale group general manager for food and beverage,Frank Roberts.
But it is difficult for operators to stay open late if there are not enough customers,especially given penalty rates for staff.
“The challenge for Sydney CBD to become a 24-hour city is around the demand,” Roberts said.
“If there are more visitors and people out,then more people dine out later,which makes it feasible for operators to keep kitchens open later.”
City Extra at Circular Quay is one of Sydney’s late-night diners.Flavio Brancaleone
Roberts wants fewer restrictions on late-night trade in the CBD.
“Remove the freeze on trading hours for pubs in the CBD and provide base trading hours for restaurants that are at least 2am instead of midnight,” he said.
City Extra in Circular Quay has been feeding patrons 24 hours a day for more than three decades,but managing director Steven Duff said Sydney has a “dying late night trade” and accused the council and state government of not doing enough to foster it.
Duff said a lack of safe public transport at night was a turn-off for customers and made it harder to attract staff.
He did not begrudge paying penalty rates to staff working late,but customers preferred not to have these costs passed on to them:“Fewer customers makes it harder to make your business viable at these times.”
The state government’s 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said he believed Sydney’s nightlife was improving after several tough years,including more late-night dining venues.Flavio Brancaleone
Restaurant and Catering Industry Association chief executive Suresh Manickam also blamed staff shortages and rising penalty rates for restaurants closing early.
Manickam said many hospitality businesses want to open later,but closed early to minimise costs.
But Night Time Industries Association chief executive Mick Gibb was upbeat about Sydney’s nighttime economy,which he said was recovering following the pandemic.
“In just 18 months since COVID-19 restrictions were removed we’ve seen a barrage of new venues open up and many more make use of the changes that came about from scrapping the lockout laws in 2020,” he said.
His views were echoed by the state government’s 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said he believed Sydney’s nightlife was improving after several tough years,including more late-night dining venues.
“While I am sure there are people who’d rather stay at home and eat their favourite food on the couch,there are also a large number of people of all ages who are seeking out experiences and opportunities to explore Sydney after dark,” he said.
Rodrigues said the clustering of late trading venues will give consumers confidence in “finding something” but did concede there was still work to be done to ensure Sydney’s nightlife continued to thrive.
”Outdated and overlapping restrictions and regulations,particularly around noise,outdoor dining,and licensing,are hindering Sydney from reaching its full potential,” he said.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore,however,rejected the criticisms,saying there were no specific restrictions on dining,and it was up to individual businesses to decide when food was offered and for how long.
“Businesses have not reported policy settings or planning controls as inhibiting their food offering,but staff availability and costs,customer demand and profit margins affect their operations,” she said.
The City of Sydney dedicates staff to helping hospitality businesses open late by dealing with red tape such as liquor licences and extending trading hours.
“Through this engagement,businesses have reported that staff availability,customer demand and economic pressures remain the key barriers to operating later,” Moore said.
Moore did agree improving late night public transport would also bolster Sydney’s nightlife.
“This would not only help people to get around the city and enjoy all it has to offer,it would help hospitality workers,many of whom are young women,feel more comfortable in working a late shift and getting home safely,” she said.
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