Bored of signing up as a member at every bowlo in the area? We hear you. And so, it seems, do the government – who have just scrapped the five-kilometre rule that’s had us signing up as members to clubs across the state for as long as we can remember. The rule – which has prevented people who live within five-kilometres of a club from signing in without first signing up as a member – is being thrown out as part of the government’s mission of removing red tape around Sydney’s nightlife. If this doesn’t call for a Tuesday evening RSL session, we don’t know what will.
Becoming a member of a club or RSL in your area has its perks – typically, once you sign up as a member you’ll score member prices, and there’s something nice about feeling like part of a community. But the rule that enforced sign-ups has been an unnecessary boundary to some of these venues, with the government – in collaboration with Clubs NSW – finally deciding to park it once and for all.
Getting rid of the outdated rule is part of the government’s plan to amp up Sydney’s nightlife, which comes following the recent abolition of the antiquated ban on standing while drinking at a venue. The abolition of the five-kilometre clubs rule will be introduced next month (October) as part of the next tranche of red-tape removal, and we think it spells good things for Sydney’s summer.
“Scrapping the 5km rule is just the start of our next round of reforms to reboot the nightlife and vibrancy of the state which are all about boosting the night-time economy, treating adults like adults and stripping back redundant red tape,” Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy John Graham explained.
Until the rule is scrapped next month, you’ll still need to sign up as a member if you visit your local club or RSL, but from October onwards, these community hubs will become a whole lot more accessible for everyone. Cheers!
You can find out more about the government’s plans to improve Sydney’s nightlife in our in-depth interview with NSW Premier Chris Minns.
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