local - 2026-05-26

Manly's Nightlife Shake-Up: Council Votes for Special Entertainment Precinct Amid Resident Backlash

An 18-month trial of extended trading hours and new noise rules has divided the community, with residents raising more than $20,000 to mount a legal challenge

Northern Beaches Council has given the green light to trial a Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) in Manly's town centre, a decision that promises to reshape the suburb's nightlife while igniting fierce debate between residents and local businesses. The 18-month trial, expected to commence this spring pending state government approval, would introduce extended outdoor trading hours and establish a new precinct-wide noise framework for venues operating along the Corso, East and West Esplanade, and surrounding streets. Under the proposed rules, outdoor venues would be permitted to serve until 10pm on weeknights and 11pm on weekends — a modest extension on current hours — while indoor restaurants would be allowed to trade until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, bringing them in line with licensed hotels. The Council's motivation for pursuing the SEP stems directly from the NSW Government's 2024 Vibrancy Reforms, which transferred noise enforcement authority away from local councils and handed it to Liquor and Gaming NSW. Under that framework, residents seeking to lodge a noise complaint must first organise a meeting between at least five neighbours and the venue owner before a formal...