John Ibrahim plans move to revive Sydney's declining nightlife

Well-known Sydney nightclub owner John Ibrahim has applied for a spot on a council advisory panel which will have the objective of boosting the city's nightlife.

Mr Ibrahim tweeted on Saturday: "An expert panel is being formed by the city of Sydney to help advise on how best to resuscitate our city’s deceased nightlife ... I’m in!!!"

The Nightlife and Creative Sector Advisory Panel is to include one City of Sydney councillor and up to 16 sector representatives.

The Lord Mayor said the panel would give vital advice to help rejuvenate the city nightlife.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said: “Establishing a panel of industry experts who we can work closely with to revitalise our night-time economy is the next step in acting on this critical issue".

"We demonstrated our commitment to the night-time economy with our OPEN Sydney strategy and action plan in 2012, after more than two years of research and consultation across this diverse sector – now we are seeking a taskforce of passionate and dedicated industry professionals to have a seat at the table".

The Lord Mayor added: “Unfortunately, there is no escaping the fact that the NSW Government’s lockout laws have put the brakes on Sydney’s night-time economy".

"We have long maintained it’s possible to have a nightlife that is both safe and vibrant."

Its members must be available for four meetings annually.

Councillor Angela Vithoulkas told the Daily Telegraph there is no denying that Mr Ibrahim has experience in the field.

“If he was to be successful, he would bring a bit of spice to the panel, a bit of notoriety," she added.

In July last year, it was reported that seven more venues in Sydney's nightlife hubs would be allowed stay open for longer after being granted exemptions from the NSW government's lockout laws.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the council's chief executive officer will have to approve each appointment.

A City of Sydney spokeswoman said “the city will assess all applications for the night-life and creative sector advisory panel according to the criteria set out in terms of reference”.

Applications close on February 26.