The Prince has submitted a development application to Wollongong City Council to extend its opening hours from midnight to 2am Thursday to Saturday, and from 10pm to midnight on Sunday.

Licensee Ben Abraham, from the Good Times Only Group, said the aim was to bring the Globe Lane bar into line with the council's CBD night time economy policy - one of the objectives of which is to "encourage a safe night time economy that is comprised of vibrant and diverse businesses".

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"We believe the Prince has a place in that night time economy," Mr Abraham said.

He said the late night space was traditionally dominated by larger venues, but there was an opportunity for his venue to enter it.

"We find with smaller bars, there's a different kind of customer experience at night," Mr Abraham said, explaining they were more intimate than larger places.

"It just would be good to see more options late at night," he said.

He said the expanded operating hours would allow the venue to take on more staff.

The development application made mention of the challenges of COVID-19, which Mr Abraham said had been "very challenging" for the business and its employees.

"In a difficult economic environment, made even more difficult by the effects of COVID-19, the ability of the venue to generate a reliable turnover will be greatly increased by the proposed modification," the application said.

Globe Lane appears to be enjoying a renaissance at present.

The owners of popular pizzeria Kneading Ruby have opened a sister eatery called Restaurant Santino there, while the council recently received a development application to open another small bar.

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