Odd Culture Group (OCG) has been granted a 4am licence for its new Newtown bar by City of Sydney Council.

OCG, the hospitality group behind venues including Odd Culture Newtown, The Duke of Enmore, The Old Fitz and the Oxford Tavern, described the move as a “defining moment in the push for Sydney’s 24-hour economy”. It said the decision created opportunities for more diverse, inclusive, and multi-dimensional late night hospitality offerings that would contribute to reinvigorating Sydney’s nightlife and making Sydney a global destination once again. 

Odd Culture Group CEO James Thorpe said: “This is the first 4am licence given to a bar in the area for over 100 years and is a huge win in our efforts to diversify Sydney’s late night entertainment offering. We want this venue to be a milestone in our city’s way to becoming a true 24-hour cultural destination, a place where you can come seven days a week at all hours and experience something special.”

NSW’s 24-hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said: “A major part of the 24-hour Economy Strategy is to encourage the diversification of activities and amenities at night, so today’s announcement is very exciting. It’s great to see new venues opening that offer increased choice and flexibility for people when enjoying a night out.

“Odd Culture Group has already established a number of well regarded venues across the city, providing quality live entertainment and award-winning hospitality. The opening of its new venue is another sign of the revitalisation of Sydney’s nightlife and I look forward to visiting myself once it has opened.”

The new 400 square metre basement concept on King Street in Newtown will launch early next year just down from the group’s all-day dining and drinking venue, Odd Culture, which was granted an extended 2am licence last year.

“We have been on the lookout for a basement property to deliver a live music bar for a very long time,” Thorpe said.

“In a city like Sydney that is still (re)establishing its post-midnight cultural face – a task that is so often at loggerheads with the wants of a few vocal local residents – sound attenuation is incredibly important. This space ticks all the boxes – being submerged underneath King St, finding itself located in the council’s tiny Late Night Management zone in Newtown, and it being centrally located next to Newtown Station.”

Enmore leads Sydney’s nightlife revival