Many Hong Kong bars won’t survive Covid-19 business ban for much longer, trade group warns
- Many of city’s 1,280 bars and pubs will be lucky to stay afloat for another month without reopening their doors, trade association says
- Entertainment venues such as game centres and mahjong parlours will be allowed to reopen but bars must remain closed
Wing Chin Chun-wing, vice-president of the Hong Kong Bar & Club Association, on Tuesday called on the government to immediately relax the business ban on the city’s about 1,280 bars and pubs, saying most would be lucky to stay afloat for a month without reopening their doors.
“I believe many bars, especially the large ones, can only withstand the ban for one more month as they can’t keep on paying rent without getting any income,” he said.
Chin’s warning came as the government announced that from Friday, up to four people could gather in public, an increase from two currently, and entertainment venues such as game centres and mahjong parlours would be allowed to reopen but bars and pubs had to remain closed.
As Hong Kong battled a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government tightened social-distancing rules from July 15, including closing bars, pubs, clubhouses and any part of catering premises mainly used for the sale or supply of alcohol. It also banned evening dine-in services at restaurants from 6pm to 5am but has since relaxed the rule to 10pm.
