A British expat has criticised Australia’s nightlife and suggested the country should look to Berlin for inspiration on how to improve its after hours offering. 

Joe, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire in England, settled in Bondi in Sydney after moving Down Under seven months ago, but admitted he has found differences between the UK and his new home’s nightlife culture a struggle.

In a video listing some of the things he “does not understand” about Australia, Joe hit out at the Harbour City’s nightlife.

“Why is it so hard to get into a club after [midnight]? Other cities that I have been in you can go straight into [the club] and out,” he vented in a video shared on TikTok.

The expat revealed Australia could learn a lot from Germany’s capital.

“Look at Germany, Berlin – clubs are open 24 hours a day and you go in whenever you want,” he continued.

“Why is Australia so strict? And it is not just alcohol laws, it’s all the other laws including smoking and drinking in public.”

Sydney’s vibrant nightlife scene suffered catastrophically as a result of draconian “lockout laws” which were introduced in 2014 and in place across much of the city until 2021 in an effort to reduce alcohol-related crime.

The restrictions, which included stopping entry into venues after 1.30am and limiting the sale of alcohol, caused $16bn of economic damage a year and resulted in more than 150 venues closing.

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In recent years, Sydney has slowly been working to transform its nightlife.

However, new data has shown a steep decline in CBD bars while suburban dining hotspots have boomed in the last year.

Figures released by workforce management platform Deputy revealed how Sydneysiders are shifting their social habits. 

Hospitality hours worked by bar staff fell 45.9 per cent in the city centre this June compared to last year. 

Inner-ring hubs are also feeling the strain: Newtown dropped 32.1 per cent, Manly 27.5 per cent, and Glebe saw a dramatic 61.6 per cent fall. Marrickville was one of the few exceptions, recording a modest rise of 4.8 per cent. 

Restaurants in the city centre have not been spared, with CBD hours down 44 per cent. 

Meanwhile, Bondi restaurants rose 47.6 per cent, Manly jumped a staggering 314.8 per cent, while Parramatta recorded the most striking growth, surging by 510.5 per cent compared to June 2024, reflecting a reshaping in Sydney’s social habits.