Being an Italian barman in Sydney

Over the last 3 years, Sidney has experienced both a positive and a negative revolution in the hospitality sector, in particular with small cocktail bars that can host a maximum of 90 people. After 2010 there’s been a boom of these small places that opened close to the trade district.

For Sydney this was a remarkable change, as until recently it had been used to sports bars and pubs that could host up to 200 people. It wasn’t just a structural change, but also a change in the style of service, as these new activities strongly improved the offer by making it far more interesting.

Even though there’s been a positive change that has directed the city towards a more international atmosphere, the type of clientele is still different from that of a metropolis like London or New York, two cocktail capitals par excellence.

Many businesses indeed opened with concepts inspired by these two cities. However, they later had to adapt to the habits and needs of the clients in Sydney, who usually don’t like a very attentive service but prefer a quick and very informal one.

No wonder some leaders in the sector, in terms of revenue and popularity, do not offer table service, a choice that would be totally unimaginable in Italy.

Another important element to understand this reality and the difference with large Italian cities is the lower number of inhabitants and the type of tourism. As Sydney is a destination and icon for young backpack tourism, this also influences many businesses in their choice of service and offer.

However, if on one hand there’s been a boom of new places (of the above-mentioned kind), on the other there’s been a downfall in town caused by restrictive laws against alcohol, especially the lockout law, which forbids clients to enter or return to a bar after 1.30 in the morning, and forces to end the service after 3. This unfortunately has caused the end to a particular nightlife and the closing of some historic places.

Many changes are taking place in the Australian metropolis, which has certainly become more competitive given there are more businesses than a few years ago. Even the labour market changed, due to a growing number of people who decide to move to Australia. Among them, many Italians, French and English, not just backpackers as in the past, but hospitality professionals too.

Very often the mix of quality and price is still rather distant from European standards, but the cultural and law system makes it difficult to reduce this gap.

The positive difference Sydney has compared to major Italian cities is the differentiation of concepts: here we have everything from speakeasy to Mexican style bars, rock and roll bars, modern saloons, bars created behind barbershops or on an island once used as a prison... Up to those who use a library ladder to reach the bottles that are very high up.