Sydney's night life is not going to be reignited by this haphazard and piecemeal response. Like many venue operators in the CBD, the lock-out laws have had a major impact on small bars like ours; the very venues that have been improving the city's drinking culture before that all came to a halt with the introduction of lockouts in 2014. So while we certainly welcome some measures, such as the increase of the small bar licence from 60 to 100 patrons and the automatic extension of small bar licences to 2am, the fact remains that Sydney's night life is not going to be reignited by this haphazard and piecemeal response. It's not just the lockouts and closing times that are the issue – there are other bizarre restrictions hampering the growth of Sydney's small bar scene and which have unfortunately not been considered in last week's announcement. It's probably not widely known among those of you who don't frequent bars post-midnight, but it is no longer possible to get a Baileys on ice in Sydney when the clock strikes 12. Baileys, you see, is a spirits-based beverage and is therefore not permitted to be served "straight" after the witching hour.

Martin O'Sullivan is president of the NSW Small Bar Association. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to explain to tourists that after midnight they cannot drink a single malt whisky on the rocks, but they can drink the same liquid if it's mixed with coke or in a listed cocktail. If a patron wants a cocktail that isn't on an existing printed menu at 12.01am, we have to refuse them. The same is true if they want a classic cocktail such as a Martini, Negroni or Old Fashioned, because they contain a product with more than 50 per cent alcohol-by-volume (ABV). The government has stated it wants to support the growth of small bars to diversify the night-time economy. This is great to hear. But if the government agrees we are low-risk, responsible operators then I am at a loss to understand how the ongoing restrictions that are being kept in place deal with the issue of alcohol-related violence. Now, truth be told, I peddle cocktails and spirits for a living so I'm a bit biased. And yes, I know that some people out there – a tiny minority – get aggressive when they've had too much to drink. But I now find myself living in a neo-prohibitionist Sydney, where the sale of spirits is deemed unsafe and anyway, shouldn't you be tucked up in bed by midnight?

I'm sorry to say it, but this announcement is not going to reignite our nightlife. What this city needs is a plan – a plan that looks at all aspects of Sydney's nightlife and the elements needed to support it – from transportation and crowd control, to diversity of venues and policing. A plan that supports a thriving night-time economy in the interests of all Sydneysiders. Included in this plan should be a winding back of some of the more ridiculous measures that have been imposed on venues over the past few years. From restrictions on the sale of spirits after midnight to the requirement for someone to walk around in a high-vis vest when the clock strikes 12, the approach of the NSW government has been to add regulation after regulation rather than come up with a strategic plan to tackle the issues at hand. Loading We agree with the government that there is a balance to be struck between community safety and a thriving night-time economy, and we support all efforts to punish irresponsible operators or violent offenders. Sydney's small bar owners want to work with the NSW government to get Sydney's night-time economy back on its feet and better find this balance. Martin O'Sullivan is president of the NSW Small Bar Association and owner of Grasshopper bar.