One of the first casualties of the Sydney lockouts, Hugo’s Lounge in Kings Cross, is returning next year.

The news follows last week’s saga over the reported sale of the Hopetoun Hotel in Surry Hills.

Hugo’s will now be run by Eric Jury, who currently operates Casablanca in Double Bay, itself set for closure next year to make way for apartments.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Jury, who believes the Cross is a nicer place these days, will test the waters, bringing Hugo’s back as as a pop-up venue in February, and then looking at the possibility of making it permanent in August.

He’s already begun installing soundproofing to get over strict midnight noise restrictions.

Hugo’s former owner Dave Evans closed it down in mid-2015, complaining that lockout laws had brought revenue down drastically.

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