PARRAMATTA'S NIGHT TIME ECONOMY

The Parramatta night time economy (NTE) is an integral part of the economic, social and cultural future of the City of Parramatta. The City’s NTE was valued at $1.1 billion in 2018, having grown 52% since 2009. This growth has largely been in cafés and restaurants, which grew 44% during 2009-2018. 

Image of a group of friends at Nick and Noras Rooftop bar sitting around a table as the host describes highlights from the cocktails menu. In the background is the bar with multiple shelves of top shelf spirits backlit with ambient light.
Image of the Emporium Restaurant during the Parramatta Lanes Festival in October. The restaurant is surround with large willow trees strung with lights. Umbrellas have also been hung around the restaurant exterior and in the trees.

The Parramatta Night Time Economy

An integral part of Parramatta economically, socially and culturally

The Parramatta CBD and Sydney Olympic Park are well-established as vibrant and diverse night time entertainment hubs.

The Parramatta CBD is a centre for late night retail shopping, dining out or enjoying a drink at a licensed venue. Sydney Olympic Park is a place to catch a concert or other major event at its world-class venue. 

While the Parramatta CBD and Sydney Olympic Park have a thriving night time economy (NTE), the City would like to see each suburb growing its NTE. 

Following the City’s Night Time Economy Discussion Paper in 2017 that brought together research, experiences and ideas from the City’s community and stakeholders, the City has been working to develop a strategic framework that will help shape the future of Parramatta’s night time economy.

Revelers and partying people dance and socialise around a DJ in an activated space on Phillip Street. The trees and buildings are glowing from a blue-green floodlight effect and there are murals of famous DJs project onto buildings.

Plans For Creating A Vibrant Night Time Economy

A strategic framework will guide the evolution of Parramatta's Night City

This strategic direction will holistically develop and diversify the City’s night time economy, support businesses to diversify and develop, evolve night-city experiences in the CBD and local centres, and be responsive to challenges and change that come from unparalleled growth.

The strategic framework focuses on creating the supporting night time infrastructure necessary to deliver these goals. This includes delivering initiatives that range from creative lighting and increased passive surveillance to night markets and policy reforms. 

Key outcomes the Night City strategic framework is targeting include:

  • Improving the sense of safety
  • Streamlining application processes to encourage more diverse business uses 
     

A laneway in Parramatta is activated during the evening with lights, food trucks, live music and murals projected against the wall.

Benefits Of The NTE

Patronage skyrocketing in Parramatta

There are many benefits that flow from a thriving night time economy. Businesses and investors, especially those with a unique offer, are seeing the benefits of opening in Parramatta as brand engagement and patronage at their businesses skyrockets.

Driving growth in Parramatta’s night time economy is the rapidly expanding number of workers, residents, students and visitors in the City, providing an attractive market for new businesses and investors to capture. The outlook for this growth is set to continue growing at some of the fastest rates in NSW. 

But beyond the economic benefit, the NTE also brings social and cultural benefits to the community. Diverse services and experiences in the City add to the vibrancy and amenity of Parramatta as a thriving night time destination.

 

 

A hostess at an Italian restaurant hands out menus to a seated group of four

An Extension Of Parramatta's Identity

A strengthening sense of place

When workers, residents and tourists spend time in the City at night, they create that cultural and social connection to Parramatta as a place to live, work and most importantly play and socialise in. 

A thriving and diverse NTE offers the community many benefits. These include:

  • Long trading hours, making services more accessible to more people
  • More things to do, especially in the suburbs and local centres at night 
  • Workers having things to do after work
  • Residents staying out later in their suburb
  • Visitors having distinctly different night time activities from the Sydney CBD
  • Celebrating diversity in the City by unlocking creative and cultural expressions

More information

Contact the City Of Parramatta's Night Time Economy project team by completing the form below.