New Legislation Could Force Sydney Bars to Keep Kitchens Open All Night

Late night eats could be more important to inner city Sydney bars than ever, with the passing of new State Government legislation forcing venues to keep their kitchen open while there's alcohol being served. According to the Daily Telegraph, the Liquor Legislation Amendment has been passed through the State Lower House and will hit the floor at the Upper House this week. This new move could mean venues have to keep kitchens open and chefs hanging around hoping for drinking punters feel like a little nibble, a serious financial strain on any bar.

With Sydney venues already jumping through every hoop to boost dwindling figures after the introduction of the lockouts, this could be some pretty bad news for CBD/Kings Cross/Surry Hills et al. Bar owners are pretty worried, mainly because most late night punters are more interested in another round than a sit-down meal — or they'll head elsewhere for a nosh, to Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Fatima's or Golden Century.

Sure, the model works for already late night food-focused spots like Darlinghurst's Henrietta Supper Club and Surry Hills' Brooklyn Social, who both keep the kitchen open late, but will every bar be able to make the switch and keep the chefs on? It probably depends on the type of venue.

"If the market was there to keep a kitchen open late at night we would, but it’s not," Kings Cross venue co-owner Danny McPherson told the Tele. "Sometimes we don’t have many customers around and we don’t get a lot of business after 10pm so it is ­insane to try and regulate something like this. It is going to mean we will need to pay to keep our chefs on which is going to really burden us financially."

Then there's the issue of spots without kitchens, whether a venue like Oxford Art Factory could really run with this new legislation. With police looking to extend the lockout from the CBD and wanting everything shut down by midnight, and #notearsshed over the recent lockout-blamed closure of the Backroom, Sydney venues are truly being put through the financial ringer by the government — according to the Telegraph, businesses have reported a 40 percent revenue loss post-lockout.

The legislation hits Upper House this week, we'll keep you posted.

Via Daily Telegraph.