The City of Sydney is set to introduce planning reforms to bolster Sydney’s nighttime culture and boutique creative economies.

Under these new reforms, shops and businesses around the city will be able to trade until 10 pm without needing council approval. These small businesses will be given the freedom to use their space in different, creative spaces. Allowing artists to use non-traditional venues as performance spaces.

The City’s reforms are a response to the coronavirus restrictions that decimated the food services and arts and recreation industry. It’s a positive step to bringing nightlife and culture back to a city where I spend most of my evenings wandering through Harris Farm markets with no purpose, desperate for something to do.

In a statement, Lord Mayor Clover Moore expressed hope that these new regimes will help revitalise the 24-hour economy.

“It is so important that we make and maintain space for artists in our cities,” the Lord Mayor said. “By removing red tape we are making it easier for small businesses to open later, put on small-scale cultural events and set up maker spaces in the heart of our villages.”

She continued,  “We are creating a city where locals and visitors alike can stumble on to diverse and exciting cultural activity in unexpected locations all around Sydney.

“This groundbreaking policy work to bolster our night time economy and support creative industries has been in development for some time, but will now help us to support our creative-led recovery from Covid-19.”

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In addition to venues across the CBD, The Erskineville Town Hall will be transformed into a multi-purpose cultural space, cinema and live music venue. “I am also particularly excited to see the Erskineville Town Hall have the opportunity to host live music and performance.

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