Coogee is one of two eastern suburbs locations approved for a Special Entertainment Precinct trial, with draft plans proposing venues in the beachside suburb could trade until 2am — a change that would make Coogee’s hospitality strip one of the later-trading precincts in Sydney’s east.
The hours are still in a draft stage and are not expected to come into effect until late 2027.
A boost for local venues
An SEP allows venues to trade later on nights they host live music, without needing a separate development application.
Participating venues receive an 80 per cent discount on liquor licence fees, and the noise complaint framework shifts from individual venue management to precinct-wide sound criteria — giving operators more certainty and reducing the risk of a single complaint shutting down a performance.
Unlicensed businesses within the precinct, including retail and cafés, can also extend their trading hours under the plan.
Existing venues that already trade later than the proposed precinct hours — including the Coogee Bay Hotel — will not have their hours shortened.
Early success across NSW
Enmore Road, which became NSW’s first permanent Special Entertainment Precinct in 2024, demonstrated what the model can produce.
Every business that completed a post-trial survey backed the designation, new venues opened on the strip, and operators started putting on live music for the first time. Since then, the precinct model has gained momentum across NSW.
In Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Woollahra is investigating a Double Bay SEP and Waverley is working toward one at Bondi Junction.
Noise and safety
Noise management is a specific focus of the Coogee trial, with the precinct model replacing the current system of individual venue complaints with shared sound criteria across the area.
The trial will also pursue Purple Flag accreditation — an internationally recognised safety standard for night-time precincts that covers lighting, safety measures, transport access and venue management.
New precincts can secure up to $250,000 in Kickstart funding to cover the extensive acoustic testing, strategic planning, and community consultation required to launch the framework.
Published 9-July-2026
