By Ian Neubauer
A Facebook and viral email campaign is falsely alleging the City of Sydney is planning to impose a blanket 2:00am closing time on licensed premises in the inner city.
Published under the banner ‘2AM Sydney Closed’, the campaign actions readers into sending the City of Sydney a protest letter via email to prevent what it describes as the erosion of the city’s vibrant reputation.
“Unfortunately, unless we take a stand and make a fuss now, these rules will come into place in March 09,” the campaign pleads. ”Don’t let the fun police walk all over us — we don’t need prohibition in the 21st century.
“If you like to enjoy our spectacular city at night without worrying about when you’ll be sent home, click below to tell Council you enjoy Sydney’s nightlife just as it is – and to remind them that you vote too.”
City of Sydney mayor Clover Moore confirmed today (Feb 20) the City was drafting a DCP (Development Control Plan) to incorporate research it has conducted into the cumulative impacts and saturation of late night premises in problem areas, and would recommend measures to reduce alcohol-related violence in those areas.
But she denied the city had plans — or even the desire — to impose early closing times on licensed premises.
“Any suggestion that the City is planning to close down all late night premises in the City at 2:00am is blatantly false. The City has no power or desire to close down every late night premises,” she said.
“The City can only impose conditions on new development applications for licensed premises and has no ability to apply conditions on premises and trading hours once approved.”
Cr Moore added that the draft DCP would be placed on public exhibition to enable members of the public to comment on it and suggest change.
TheShout made several attempts to contact the author of the ‘2AM Sydney Closed’ campaign this week but failed to receive a response. It is unknown whether the campaign is based on misinformation or a deliberate hoax designed to harvest email addresses for marketing purposes.
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