Like a primary school kid who’s just turned double digits, three Sydney venues have just been given permission to stay up an extra half an hour before their official bed time.
CBD watering holes The Palace Hotel, the Observer Hotel and the ArtHouse Hotel in The Rocks have all qualified for a trial 30-minute extension of the NSW Government’s mandatory lockout and last drinks restrictions, with both to be pushed forward from 1.30am and 3am to 2am and 3:30am respectively on the nights where each venue keeps the live entertainment rolling past midnight.
It’s all thanks to the state gov’s recent decision to relax their fun curfew by a generous 1,800 seconds for venues that provide live entertainment into the wee hours.
The announcement was made by a dude named Paul Newson from the Justice department, who tells Fairfax that more venue exemptions are expected to be announced soon, with bureaucrats mulling over a further 13 applications.
“Industry feedback suggests up to 50 venues could take advantage of the relaxed lockout and last drinks times,” old m8 says. “Live entertainment venues help provide a more diverse nightlife with less focus on alcohol consumption.”
Commenting on their 30-minute bonanza via Facebook, The Palace Hotel confirmed that they’d be implementing the new trading hours ASAP on “Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights (& some Sundays)”. But they also warned that “we’ll be very strict on our obligations of the Responsible Service of Alcohol and our Entry Policy.”
Music Feeds has also contacted The Observer and The ArtHouse for their thoughts and reflections on the whole sitch.
Other live entertainment venues keen to apply for lockout exemptions can download the nifty application form right here, a fact sheet here, or else email Liquor and Gaming NSW for any other Q’s.
Meanwhile, in related news, the Keep Sydney Open movement’s peaceful anti-lockouts rally planned for Kings Cross tonight has been shut-the-fark-down by the NSW Supreme Court because police reckoned a gathering of 7,000 people would be a big risk to public safety or some junk, despite KSO arguing that the X used to see an influx of 27,000 people per night back in the day.
Despite this, punters are still planning to ‘Occupy Kings Cross’ tonight, but will be flooding local venues instead of the streets.
Aaaaand you can stay up to date with all the latest news via our dedicated Lockout Laws Feed right here.
