Sydney’s new nightlife reforms could turn unused buildings, rooftops and public spaces into pop-up venues The new round of reforms are designed to make the city (and beyond) a whole lot more lively – with rooftops, public spaces and un-used buildings set to become pop-up venues
By Winnie Stubbs, TimeOut.com
If it feels like Sydney’s been inching its way back to a proper night out, consider this a full-throttle push. After years of incremental policy changes and big vision planning behind the scenes (in large part thanks to Sydney’s very own Night Mayor), the NSW Government has unveiled a fresh round of planning reforms. The new batch of regulation changes are designed to make going out – and staying out – a whole lot easier, with more outdoor dining, rooftop bars and pop-up entertainment set to roll out across the state.
At the heart of the changes is a very Sydney problem: great venues, great weather, but far too much paperwork standing in between. The fix? Strip back the red tape and let operators actually use the spaces they already have.
For hundreds of clubs sitting on Crown land – your local bowlo, RSL, surf club or golf club – outdoor dining will now be classified as exempt development. Translation: no more drawn-out approval processes just to put tables and chairs outside. These venues will still need to meet safety, accessibility and amenity standards, but the bureaucratic slog is getting the chop. It’s a move that will bring clubs into line with other hospitality businesses that have already benefited from relaxed planning laws – and one that could quietly transform some of the state’s most underutilised alfresco spaces into breezy, beer-in-hand hangouts. But the reforms don’t stop at plastic chairs on the lawn. The Government is also doubling down on its push to revive the night-time economy by expanding what’s possible within Special Entertainment Precincts – those designated zones where the rules are a little looser and the vibes a little louder.
Since 2023, NSW has gone from a single Special Entertainment Precinct (Enmore Road) to nine, with another 24 councils currently exploring the idea. . . .
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Read more about their ideas here:
https://www.timeout.com/sydney/news/sydneys-new-nightlife-reforms-could-turn-unused-buildings-rooftops-and-public-spaces-into-pop-up-venues-052526
New Orleans’ Nighttime Economy Office—A vision for the future
By Jan Ramsey, Offbeat
For years, OffBeat supported the establishment of a Nighttime Economy office…because, frankly, we needed it. Luckily, it was established during the last mayoral administration, and since then, New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy (O.N.E.) has made a lot of strides in supporting and developing programs for the music ecosystem community. But’s it’s still difficult for a city government to understand what should be done to create an environment where everyone prospers, especially in a city that still perceives its musical culture as background music to a party or consuming alcohol—except during Jazz Fest. Achieving goals that affect not only musicians and bands, but restaurants, bars, music clubs will improve our music economy and also be beneficial to visitors.
Julia Heath, Policy and Outreach Manager for O.N.E., who is highly experienced in developing music policy along with director Michael Ince, has written a great substack piece on what could happen in New Orleans, if O.N.E. can continue its mission successfully. She is a woman after my own heart who can see the difference that government can bring to the table vis a vis music community development and successful policies that impact everyone in the music ecosystem.
Pay attention! Here’s an excerpt from her latest communiqué:
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Read the rest of Ms. Heath’s great essay here:
https://www.offbeat.com/nighttime-economy-office/
To read more about the Office of Nighttime Economy, click here.
https://nola.gov/next/nighttime-economy/home/
Germany’s Embattled Nightlife Scene Welcomes Plan to Reclassify Clubs
There is hope that a change to building regulations could resurrect music clubs, which have been hit by rising rents, social shifts and noise disputes
By Kate Connelly, The Guardian
A move by the German government to reclassify nightclubs to distinguish them from amusement and adult entertainment facilities could give a much-needed boost to the country’s struggling nightlife, industry advocates say.
Under a fundamental change to building regulations approved by Friedrich Merz’s cabinet last week, nightclubs will be formally recognised as providing cultural and artistic value, making it more difficult for developers to evict venue operators in favour of new construction.
The law still requires approval from the Bundestag and the upper house, the Bundesrat, but cross-party support makes its passage likely. Clubs are classified alongside brothels, strip bars and betting shops – though often face stricter scrutiny due to noise regulations. The new rules will allow clubs to operate in certain residential areas.
Marc Wohlrabe, a night-time industry lobbyist for 30 years, called the change a “historic moment” for German club culture.
“The existing entertainment venue regulations date back to the last century when legislature and the authorities decided to lump together as shady everything that happened in the evenings, from red-light districts, to strip bars, game halls, and music clubs, considering this incompatible with residential areas and families,” said Wohlrabe, a board member of LiveKomm, the federal association of music venues in Germany, which has been advocating for change for more than a decade.
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Read more about what Germany is doing here:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/31/germany-nightlife-scene-reclassify-clubs-berlin
© 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (dcr)
LiveKomm (Bundesverband LiveMusikKommission e.V.) is the federal association of music venues and festivals in Germany. Representing over 500 clubs and festivals, it acts as the primary advocacy group for the live music sector, focusing on the legal, financial, and cultural recognition of club culture. Https://www.kivemusiccommission.com
Photo: LiveKomm show | from their website
