Sydney Bars to Cease Service on Friday to ‘Unite for the Night’

On the eve of the New South Wales (NSW) election, some Sydney bars are planning to cease service at 6pm this Friday (22nd March) to Unite for the Night and draw voters attention to the future of Sydney’s night-time economy.

The campaign, led by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has called on Sydney venues to rally together in one last bid to highlight political party policies regarding the night-time economy.

At 6pm, some bars will cease service for 10 – 15 minutes, turn up the lights and turn off the music with venue owners standing on the bar to grab a mic and have an important conversation with their patrons. Normal service will resume thereafter. They’re asking Sydneysiders to care about their nightlife and stop the over-regulation strangling venues, directing patrons to compare each parties’ night-time policies via an election scorecard prior to Saturday and to vote accordingly.

The main goal of this activity is to drive important conversation and draw mass patron awareness to that state of Sydney’s night-time economy on the eve of the New South Wales state election.

After Sydney being rated as the 10th worst city in the world in the recent Time Out Index – with Melbourne placing second best, NTIA Chair Michael Rodrigues has said, “This is our chance to do something positive with this election and start reviving Sydney’s nightlife. Festivals restrictions and lockout laws, have framed the debate so far, but it’s more than that; we’re looking at a $16 billion dollar opportunity and potential bigger vision for the night time of this city.

We’re asking voters to think about what they want for the future of Sydney. We see a city with a thriving, creative and innovative night-time economy which everyone can be a part of”. Michael Rodrigues has also called on venues across the state to get involved in support.

The Night Time Industries Association and its associated campaign, Unite for the Night, has members who operate over 100 venues that support their activities. Venues who have confirmed their active participation is growing and currently include:

1. Bistecca

2. Botany View Hotel

3. Bulletin Place

4. Button Bar

5. Cricketer’s Arms Hotel, Balmain

6. Crooked Tailor

7. Dead Ringer

8. Duke of Clarence

9. Earls Juke Joint

10. Grandmas

11. Jacoby’s

12. Lord Gladstone