The NSW government’s grip on Sydney's nightlife may be slowly relaxing, with the Lansdowne Hotel granted permission to extend its opening hours.

But the process to gain approval to stay open until 5am on Friday and Saturday nights was “unnecessarily long, costly and difficult”, according to the Lansdowne's co-owner Jake Smyth.

Paul Mac (second from left) is among the performers who will feature in A Club Called Rhonda at the Lansdowne Hotel. Credit:Wolter Peeters

He said it took almost 12 months for the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to approve the liquor licence after the City of Sydney gave its consent.

“Council was brilliant and helpful, however [the ILGA] is a backward and unwieldy nightmare of clueless and faceless bureaucrats whose mission statement seems to be obstruct and obfuscate.”