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A hated Covid restriction has been quietly scrapped to allow nightclub drinkers in NSW to sip their beverages while standing up indoors.
Patrons were forced to sit at a table to prevent them mingling with other groups while inside and could only stand up in outdoor areas like rooftops.
This was despite that being the main point of nightclubs, as opposed to pubs where patrons more often stick to their groups of friends.
From November 8, dancing was allowed in nightclubs again but the ban on standing while drinking was not due to lift until December 1.
Patrons will now be allowed to drink while standing in nightclubs and strip clubs after the NSW health minister quietly amended Covid-19 rules on Wednesday
The changes mean restrictions are in line with rules for pubs and clubs, where patrons were allowed to drink while standing both indoors and outdoors.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard fast-tracked an amendment of the public health order on Wednesday to allow patrons to stand while drinking at nightclubs and strip clubs.
'The object of this order is… to remove the requirement for occupiers of nightclubs or strip clubs in the general area not to allow persons to consume alcohol in an indoor area unless they are seated,' the amendment read.
Nightclubs in NSW reopened on October 18, but only for seated drinking and no dancing, when the state hit its 80 per cent vaccination milestone.
Many nightclubs chose to stay closed until dancing was allowed
