The NSW Greens labelled the approach "top-down and heavy-handed" and Leichhardt mayor Darcy Byrne stated that live music venues, many of which have closed since the laws came into place, "can be the antidote to the plague of pub violence."

As debate around Sydney's drinking regulations picks up pace, two nightlife supporters give their views on the effects the laws have had on the city's night time culture. 

FOR LOCKOUTS

Steve Pate, train driver from Surry Hills, 33 

"I take the contrary position to a lot of my friends – they disagree with me.

I go out once every couple of weeks, after parties and stuff. I noticed a deterioration, everything became really excessive. I've had international visitors coming over and they were horrified.

I like the lockout laws, I think it's more civilised, I think the City of Sydney's approach was good in terms of diversifying the nightlife. I think that's what a lot of people want to see.

It was important to put the handbrake on, it was a major problem, there was so much antisocial behaviour and a lot of carnage. I think it's nice to have that nudge: no more alcohol, chill out, not drink.

The density of venues was a honeypot to trouble makers. I feel like in New York and London, the bars are a bit more spread out, so you don't have all that conflict that comes with it. New York has a 4am cut off, in LA it's 2am, it draws that line, I think.

My counter argument to the fact that businesses are being damaged is that businesses were also being damaged by the monoculture of nightlife, that was upsetting a lot of people on Oxford Street.

You've got to recognise that obviously there's a lot of angst about it. The evidence and all the studies show it's irrefutable that a modest reduction in trading hours leads to large reductions in violence and antisocial behaviour.

It was aggressive, drunk and unsafe – now people are worried about the reputation that we are no fun. There's a middle ground, I think."

AGAINST LOCKOUTS

Elmar Trefz, urban researcher and digital strategist from Bondi, 40

Elmar Trefz, an urban researcher and PhD student, is against the lockout laws. He believes they erode the city's urban culture. Photo: Peter Rae

"I go out every weekend and often on Wednesday and Thursday nights, mostly to small bars, where you can talk. I go and see DJs about once a month.

It's now much harder to go out, it's less about being able to go wherever you like and more about being planned and having to make sure your friends are there in time. It's not as relaxed as before.

We are being treated as if we are not smart enough to be able to look after ourselves. It takes a few terrible actions by very aggressive people for the government to impose laws on those who have nothing to do with that side of life. I don't see the connection between having a drink and killing someone.

One of the biggest changes is that there are far fewer bands playing, the live music culture has gone. Coming from Europe, that's really sad, there used to be so much live music that was really inspiring and exciting.

Sydney is now a less social city – there is less impromptu, random networking and fewer casual exchanges of thoughts and ideas with friends. You either have to do it at home, or make sure everything is organised beforehand.

What I like about a city is that when it is unpredictable, it really feels vibrant; when it is predictable, it loses spontaneity and vibrancy.

We need to move the whole discussion away from drinking and look at how these laws affect economy, growth and what they actually do to a strong social environment and urban culture, which is not created by going home and watching TV."