Sydneysiders may have noticed more outdoor dining options popping up out the front of the city’s restaurants and bars over the past two years.
EAs in Sydney will be interested to know that from the beginning of July, all footpath and on-road outdoor dining fees will be permanently waived across the City of Sydney local area.
Fee waivers and fast-track approvals were first introduced in November 2020 to support local businesses and help hospitality venues recover from the pandemic. Outdoor dining has grown exponentially and become an essential part of Sydney’s dining culture, street vitality and nightlife.
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO, said that since the programme was initiated, the City of Sydney has approved nearly 1,000 outdoor dining applications, creating about 13,000m² of external area for outdoor dining and supporting more than 800 businesses.
“Waiving outdoor dining fees was one of the first things we did when the pandemic hit Sydney. We did this to make it easier for restaurants, bars, and cafes to operate while encouraging physical distancing and fresh air,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Having brunch with friends, a wine after work or grabbing a quick bite and watching the world go by are some of the best moments of urban life. Being able to shop, dine or drink on our footpaths and roadways made it easier for us to enjoy those things and support local businesses in a COVID-safe way.
“What started as cafes moving a few tables and chairs out onto the footpath has become a full-blown al-fresco revolution.
Since November 2020, we have approved nearly 1000 outdoor dining applications on the road or footpath. We’ve created an estimated 13,000sqm new space for outdoor dining, supporting over 800 businesses. The total value of support we have given businesses by waiving footpath and on-street outdoor dining fees since November 2020 is around $20 million, and its real value to our city is immeasurable.
People embraced it, with businesses telling us they took on extra staff to cope with increased patronage. Three-quarters of participating businesses have said the boost in customer numbers meant they needed to hire more employees, with more than a third seeing a 20% increase in turnover.
It’s wonderful to see people out on the streets, connecting with each other and enjoying their neighbourhood while supporting local businesses. That’s why we’re proud to say it’s here to stay. We all want to see our city buzzing, so that’s why we offer footpaths and roadways free of charge, and work with businesses and the public to enjoy them.”
Nathan Sasi, owner of Bar Copain in Surry Hills, said he was thrilled, and the initiative would help Sydney get back to being a world-class, vibrant city that locals and tourists can enjoy. “The outdoor dining programme has without a doubt been one of the best initiatives the City of Sydney has provided the hospitality industry in recent years,” he said.
Outdoor dining has helped transform high streets, laneways and neighbourhoods, with public spaces used more creatively. The City of Sydney has also focused on slowing traffic and upgrading streets to make them more pleasant for outdoor dining, particularly in areas like Oxford Street and Haymarket.
Given the success of the programme and the popularity of on-street dining spaces, the City of Sydney is investigating locations where footpaths can be permanently extended onto the road, enabling quality space for outdoor dining. It will also look at the feasibility of using laneways for potential live music and cultural events.
