A picture of Circular Quay deserted on a balmy Saturday night has highlighted Sydney's deteriorating nightlife in the wake of the lockout laws.

The image created a stir online over the weekend after it was posted on Reddit.

'This is how vibrant Circular Quay is on a Saturday Night #dead,' the picture's caption read.

While several commenters pointed out that Circular Quay has never been as popular as other areas like Kings Cross, the lifeless photo appeared to resonate with many.

A picture of Circular Quay deserted on Saturday night (pictured) has created a stir online and highlighted Sydney's deteriorating nightlife following the introduction of the lockout laws four years ago

While several commenters pointed out that Circular Quay has never been as popular as other areas like Kings Cross, the lifeless photo appeared to resonate with many (pictured)

'Needs cricket chirps and a tumble weed,' one person wrote.

'Lockout laws have had a knock on effect. Restaurants are closing earlier, bars are closing down, so there's overall less to do well before the 1.30am lockout,' another commented.

Most credited the introduction of the lockout laws four years ago for Sydney's lack of nightlife, but others also blamed the city's transportation.

'And the lack of transport available. Living outside the city is awful for going out. Missed the last train at 1.30? Enjoy the $100 Uber to get to the shire,' one commenter said.

Keep Sydney Open, a growing movement that opposes the lockout laws, have furiously campaigned against the divisive rules, which force inner-city establishments to refuse entry after 1.30am and to stop selling alcoholic drinks after 3am.

The curfew has forced several iconic bars and venues to close their doors, including Newtown Social Club, Goodgod Small Club, Hugos Bar and Lounge and The Soho.

A parliamentary inquiry hearing into the music and arts economy in New South Wales two weeks ago revealed dancing, DJs, disco balls and even ukuleles had come under scrutiny by the fun police.

Extreme examples reported in the Daily Telegraph included a bar in Sydney's inner west being questioned by police for its spinning mirror ball while a single noise complaint saw a group of ukulele players evicted from a bowling club in the Hunter in 2017.

The lockout laws force inner-city establishments to refuse entry after 1.30am and to stop selling alcoholic drinks after 3am (pictured is Taylor Square on Oxford Street)

The curfew has forced several iconic bars and venues to close their doors, including Newtown Social Club, Goodgod Small Club, Hugos Bar and Lounge and The Soho (pictured)

Numerous bars and venues have been forced to close their doors after the lockout laws drove away crowds

Established in November to inquire into and report on the music and arts economy in NSW, the inquiry attracted almost 400 written submissions.

Speakers at the hearing included rock band Hoodoo Gurus frontman Dave Faulkner, country music singer Brooke McClymont and Sydney Fringe Festival director Kerri Glasscock.

Solotel Group, which runs operates a number of well known Sydney hotels and restaurants said that recent restrictions have damaged perceptions of Sydney on a local, interstate and global scale.

It believes late night transport, better lighting and civic planning were critical.

'Sydney sparkles by day, and yet we have lost our ability to sparkle by night,' Solotel Group's submission states.

'We have come to define night by curfews – midnight, 1.30am deadlines or 3am closures. This is in stark contrast to the truly global cities we call our peers – Melbourne, London, New York, Berlin and Paris, all of whom have night time economies that truly reflect the ecosystem of their city.'

Keep Sydney Open, a growing movement that opposes the lockout laws, have furiously campaigned against the divisive rules

Sydney street artist Scott Marsh's mural of Mike Baird, who introduced the lockout laws, depicts the former NSW premier as 'Casino Mike'

The Kings Cross party strip has been hit hard by strict lockout and licencing laws

The Australian Hotels Association called for strategies to address the downturn in live music.

'One of the simple facts hurting music performances is that if hotels and other music venues aren't protected from complaints being made, venues will continue to close,' it stated.

Sydney Small Bars which represented 23 small bars in the CBD added: 'We are now in a vicious cycle. The decrease of live music venues and creative outlets means less work for artists. Closure of bars and restaurants (or shortening of available working hours) means there is less income to be derived from hospitality than was previously the case. There are many of our community who have left Sydney and gone to other cities or overseas since the lock-outs came into effect.'

Sydney Opera House states its reliance on the wider activity and output in the commercial and not-for-profit music sectors, including small to mid-sized live entertainment venues which have been hit hardest by a crackdown on licensing and the city's infamous lockout laws.

Jimmy Liks took aim at the restrictive laws after being forced to close

Hugos Bar Pizza also blamed the state's 'poorly thought-out lockout laws' for their closure

'A sensitivity to these stakeholders' priorities is crucial for local artistic communities to flourish, including standardising live-music regulatory processes to ensure liquor laws enable a safe night-time culture while fostering vibrancy and careful urban planning in mixed residential and commercial areas,' it submission stated.

As director of the Sydney Fringe Festival, Ms Glasscock called for government investment in small-medium sized performance spaces that are open access and available for all artists to hire.

Clauses put on the annual event held Sydney inner city include 'no dancing and 'no DJs'.

'Rising cost of living, rising business costs, increased residential development, archaic regulatory conditions and masses of red tape are literally decimating the sector,' Ms Glasscock wrote.

'The lack of affordable, appropriate cultural facilities is the single most pressing issue facing all art forms from our sector and as such this submission focuses on the need to create clear pathways to unlock cultural infrastructure for the independent sector.'

Keep Sydney Open protesters are pictured during a rally on February 21, 2016

The New South Wales government's lock out laws have have significantly changed the way the iconic Oxford Art Factory operates.

'Kings Cross was a late night destination for those between 18–25 prior to the lock out - these groups have moved to Newtown and surrounding areas, giving less purposefulness to live music spaces like the now defunct Newtown Social Club, giving preference to boozy pub and nightclub culture.

'The lock out has dramatically affected areas like Kings Cross and Oxford Street that were previously highly populated on Friday and Saturday nights. This has created spaces like the OAF to become a destination venue rather than a place that would trade efficiently till late on weekends without draw-card international acts or high cost DJ's. The knock on effect of this limited foot traffic is the shutdown of complimentary establishments like cafes, shops and restaurants that would extend the time that people would be visiting the precinct.'