It seems that the lights are about to go on again in Kings Cross. Hopefully, that will not result in the bad behaviour that caused the government to restrict trading hours and limit the drinks that can be served. The problem was that Kings Cross evolved as the biggest entertainment Mecca for the city of Sydney and that concentration took crowd numbers to a dangerous level.
One of the reasons that happened was a tightening of noise restriction laws. Dozens of suburban pubs hosted live bands over the weekend and it became the fashion for nearby residents to complain, both about the music and the slamming of car doors when the crowd dispersed.
The law came down hard on live music and most of these venues opted for poker machines as a distraction. It became harder for the promoters of a new live band to get a following and the live music scene in Sydney simply died.
In the majority of cases the suburban pub had been in existence for years and live music on weekends had a following, but the people complaining were the residents of newly built tower blocks. They would have been aware of the pub and its music when they bought, but demanded it be shut down for their own convenience.
This was exemplified by the experience of Luna Park on Sydney's north side. This fun park was established before the harbour bridge was built and there were few homes in the surrounding area. The water views attracted development and high prices for units, and immediately there was pressure to stop the noise of people having fun at Luna Park.
New rides were prohibited and restrictions on opening times threatened to close this venue. It seems that dropping crowd numbers encouraged the criminal element to cause fatalities when one of the rides was torched in an attempt to gain the valuable land the park was situated on. Fortunately, law revision now allows Luna Park to further prosper with new entertainment rides.
It is time those noise limitation restrictions on suburban pubs received similar treatment. Many Australian bands that rose to world fame got their start playing in suburban pubs and this spread of venues dispersed the entertainment scene widely. It would be unwelcome if Kings Cross regained its sordid reputation as the sex and " girly show " in this city because it was the only operating venue.
This coronavirus lockdown has seen the end of many suburban pubs as land value increases for apartment blocks. The local pub used to be the convivial meeting place for residents in most communities and if we are not careful they will become a disappearing relic of yesteryear.
Unfortunately, some people consider the sound of people enjoying themselves to be a " nuisance " !
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