Pop-up bar and events licence

Licence for pop-up bars and pop-up events: 12-month trial

On 1 March 2019, a 12-month trial of a new pop-up licence commenced in seven major night-time economy precincts across Sydney.

The introduction of the pop-up licence is intended to support established industry, entrepreneurs, creatives and other businesses to operate small-scale pop-up bars and events, such as pop-up restaurants and pop-up arts shows.

These types of low-risk licensed activities can enliven key areas by attracting visitors to underutilised areas and providing unique or out of the ordinary experiences.

The trial of the pop-up licence will be undertaken and monitored in close consultation with the relevant councils and local industry.

Read: Trial of a pop-up licence for pop-up bars and pop-up events Fact Sheet (PDF 173 KB)

Download maps of the seven night time economy precincts

Applying tips:

Your application can take longer to review if we don’t have all the details we need to assess it. We will come back to you to obtain the missing information to progress your application. You can help us speed up the process by:

Providing all the correct information at the time you apply
Responding to any requests for missing information as soon as possible after we contact you.

The information below will help you to prepare your application and gather all the necessary materials for your licence.

Download the application form: APP100 Pop-up bar or Pop-up event application form (PDF, 546KB)

Allows you to sell or supply liquor for consumption at a temporary pop up bar or a pop up event
Allows your pop up bar to operate over a maximum period of six weeks (which may or may not run on consecutive days during that period)
May be used for smaller-scale pop-up bars and events that have a beneficial social or economic impact on the community in a trial area by:
- activating or revitalising local places and spaces, or
- encouraging more diverse and vibrant social, cultural or business activities in the night-time economy (after 6pm).

What’s the difference between a pop up bar and pop up event?

A pop-up bar is a bar operation where the sale/supply of liquor by retail for consumption on the premises is the primary activity.

Patron capacity must not exceed 100 at any time
Trading times are to be specified on the licence and may be approved between 10am and midnight on any day.

A pop-up event is where the sale/supply of liquor by retail for consumption on the premises is ancillary to an event.

Appropriate measures must be in place to ensure the number of patrons at the event does not exceed 300 at any time
Trading times must align with the event times and may be between 8am and midnight on any day.

To qualify for this licence type, you must provide evidence of why a pop-up licence, and not another type of licence, is appropriate for the sale or supply of liquor for your proposed event.

A range of factors are considered as part of the assessment process, and every application is assessed on its individual merits.

Some or all of the following factors will be relevant:

Social or economic impact of the pop-up

You must show how your pop-up will have a significant benefit on the community, either socially or economically through:

activating or revitalising local places and spaces (at any time of day), or
encouraging more diverse and vibrant social, cultural or business activities in the night-time economy (after 6pm).

In showing these benefits, you can consider how your pop-up:

encourages unique or out of the ordinary experiences for residents or visitors
supports events that contribute to the responsible development of the live music, entertainment, tourism and hospitality industries
enables innovative business ideas to be piloted
helps raise awareness of, or enhance the image or profile of the trial area in which it is being run.

Supervising the event

How will you ensure that your pop-up bar or event is run responsibly and will not unduly impact on the quiet and good order of the neighbourhood?
How you will ensure that the patron capacity of your pop-up bar or event will not exceed the maximum limit?
Will liquor be available throughout the proposed licensed area or only in one specific area? How will you control that?
How will you ensure responsible service of alcohol practices are observed, and intoxication prevented?
How will you prevent liquor being brought into or taken away from the licensed area?
Will security officers be engaged for the duration of the event?
Will food available throughout the event? What type of food and quantity will be available?

Name, local government area, and details of where and when the pop-up will take place
A plan clearly showing the proposed boundaries for the licensed area and key features, including entry/exit points, bar areas, any adjoining streets and the direction North
Details about what liquor, food, entertainment, sanitation and security will be at the pop-up
If applicable, a copy of development consent or approval allowing the licence at your venue from your local council
Proposed liquor trading hours
Details of the venue and business owner
Contact details for you or a person authorised to submit your application
If applicable, a completed applicant declaration (TDEC5) (PDF 176.7 KB)
Payment
Estimate quantities of the amount and types of liquor to be sold.

Trading hours for a pop-up licence are determined by L&GNSW.
Trading hours for pop-up bars are limited to 10am and midnight on any day of the week.
Trading hours for pop-up events are limited to 8am and midnight on any day.

In your application, you will also need to provide:

A full site plan of the proposed licensed premises with a key showing:
- all entry/exit points
- points of sale/supply of liquor (i.e. all bar areas)
- boldly outline the entire boundary of where the bar or event will be run.
If the applicant is a corporation, provide a current ASIC search containing details of directors and officeholders.
A Plan of Management for the operation of the event including the alcohol plan of management and practices in place.

The application fee for a pop-up licence, for either a pop-up event or pop-up bar, is $165.
The fee is also set out in the Liquor Fee Schedule.

You must be 18 years or older and authorised to lodge this licence application.

Download complete the pop-up licence application form (PDF 545.3 KB).

Before you submit your application:

1. Lodge a notice

Immediately before submitting your application, or within two working days, lodge the notice that is part of the application form, and a copy of the application, to:

the local police station
local council or other consent authority.

2. Complete the application

Include the notification in step 1 with your application.

3. Lodge your application with us

Once you’ve completed all sections of your application, you can lodge your application with us in one of three ways:

Email a copy of your application to: functions.applications@liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au

Post your application to: GPO Box 7060 Sydney NSW 2001

Visit us: Level 6, 323 Castlereagh Street, Haymarket.
We are open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

Next steps
Once your application is lodged, we will advertise it on the Liquor and Gaming Application Noticeboard for 14 days so that the community may provide comment on the application.