A Heap of Bars Will Stop Service Tonight to Highlight How Much Sydney's Nightlife Is Struggling

Your Friday night drinks will look a little different this week, as 40 venues across the city go on strike in support of Sydney's struggling night-time economy. The goal? To highlight various political party policies affecting our nightlife, before voters take to the booths for the NSW Election tomorrow Saturday, March 23.

The bars won't be going dry for the entire night, but rather holding a brief pause in service at 6pm. They'll be shutting off the music, turning on the lights and allowing venue owners to get up and chat to their guests about the current threats to Sydney's nightlife. These include the lockout laws, which have led to the closure of 176 venues since they were introduced four years ago.

Organised by the Night Time Industries Association as part of its Unite for The Night campaign, the strike (dubbed Unhappy Hour) hopes to encourage Sydneysiders to vote for parties with policies that prioritise the city's night-time economy — so that work can begin on reviving the industry and undoing some of the damage caused by strict new festival licences and lockout laws.

You can read all about how the Coalition, Labor, the Greens, Keep Sydney Open and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers are all planning to tackle live music and lockouts in our extensive pre-election wrap-up over here.

Bars all over town have jumped on board to take part in tonight's strike, including the Oxford Art Factory, craft beer haven The Taphouse, Darlinghurst's This Must Be The Place, Wild Rover and The Lord Gladstone.

Marys, Sydney.

Here's the full list of venues involved:

- Bistecca
- Botany View Hotel
- Bulletin Place
- Button Bar
- Cricketer's Arms Hotel, Balmain
- Crooked Tailor
- Dead Ringer
- Duke of Clarence
- Earls Juke Joint
- Grandmas
- Jacoby's
- Lord Gladstone
- Maybe Frank
- Maybe Sammy
- Mr Pocket
- Odd Culture
- Old Mate's Place
- Oxford Art Factory
- Papa Gedes
- Pocket Bar
- Pocket Terrigal
- PS40
- Ramblin' Rascal
- Stitch
- Sydney Park Hotel
- The Barber Shop
- The Royal Albert Surry Hills
- The Taphouse
- This Must Be The Place
- Venue 505
- Welcome Hotel Rozelle
- Whirly Bird
- White Cockatoo Petersham
- Wild Rover
- The Landsdowne
- The Unicorn
- Mary's
- Soda Factory
- El Santos
- The Henson

The above 40 bars will cease service temporarily at 6pm on Friday, March 22. For more information about the Unite for the Night campaign, head to uniteforthenight.org.au.

Top image: Old Mate's Place.