(Fighting New Crown Pneumonia) Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong in a pandemic: romantic background in panic

China News Agency, Hong Kong, February 23rd: Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong under epidemic situation: romantic background in panic

China News Agency reporter Ruan Wei

Neon signboards are full of light, music is endless, and people of different nationalities are holding wine glasses at the door of an open bar or club. Lan Kwai Fong at the dawn of the Chinese lanterns, as if independent of Hong Kong under the epidemic, is still a romantic party.

Since the Lunar New Year, the new crown pneumonia epidemic has exploded in Hong Kong, and people have reduced their outing and consumption. Lan Kwai Fong, which specializes in bars, clubs and restaurants, is inevitably affected by the epidemic. When reporters visited Lan Kwai Fong recently, they found that some restaurants were indeed postponed, and the flow of people was obviously not as good as before. Many bars have launched "Happy Hour" discount drinks.

Lan Zhifang Group Chairman Sheng Zhiwen also recently said in an interview with the China News Agency that the epidemic caused panic, some offices in Central were still not open, and many employees did not resume their daily work, which weakened the flow of people in Lan Guifang near Central. Some restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong are opened by mainlanders. After returning to the Mainland during the Spring Festival, some people are unable to return to Hong Kong. The epidemic has indeed affected Lan Kwai Fong's business.

"In some clubs that mainly operate foreign customers, their business may be only 70% of the previous, which is not the worst. If it is a bar that is mainly oriented to local or mainland customers, the business is even worse than before, even if guests come As a result, Sheng Zhiwen said that as a landlord, he has reduced rents to tenants, provided them with help, and helped them through the difficult times.

Things seem to be quietly changing from Valentine's night. Sheng Zhiwen said that on the evening of February 14th, the positioning of some restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong reached almost 100%. The guests filled the restaurant, drank, laughed, and celebrated. The scene surprised him, "I was only then Realize that love may be more important than health. "

"I spent Valentine's Day with my husband at Lan Kwai Fong. It was the third anniversary of our wedding! We met at Lan Kwai Fong, where he proposed to me, and this year we celebrated wearing a mask at Lan Kwai Fong. It will be very funny in the future! ”May, who works at an auction house in Central, smiled and told reporters that Lan Kwai Fong has formed its own unique culture. In panic, romance is its background.

Comparing the impact of SARS (SARS) attack on Hong Kong in 2003 and New Crown Pneumonia on Lan Kwai Fong, Sheng Zhiwen believes that there is a big difference between the two. At the time, SARS broke out in Guangdong Province in southern China, close to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong was also greatly affected by it. However, the outbreak of new crown pneumonia in Hubei Province, the SAR government has tightened customs clearance measures in a timely manner. At present, Hong Kong has done a good job. Compared with the 7.5 million population, the confirmed diagnosis still accounts for a small proportion.

However, Sheng Zhiwen also pointed out that the current problem facing Lan Kwai Fong or the catering, retail, and tourism industries is that there are more and more complex problems in Hong Kong, which are more worrying than the epidemic. Since Hong Kong's legislative amendments last year, demonstrations have caused some people to lose their jobs and face economic difficulties.

It is reported that Lan Kwai Fong's business has declined since the second half of 2019. Halloween and New Year's Eve have been affected by demonstrations, and the turnover of some bars and restaurants has been reduced by 20% to 40%.

How to overcome these difficulties? Sheng Zhiwen said that tourists are the most important. In July 2003 after the SARS, mainland Chinese residents were allowed to travel to Hong Kong and Macao as individuals. Before the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region tightened its customs clearance policies, residents of 49 Mainland Chinese cities could travel to Hong Kong as individuals.

Looking into the future, Sheng Zhiwen is still confident in this ten-mile ocean field, and the hot scenes of Valentine's Day are regarded by him as a good signal. "Lan Kwai Fong provides food, drinks and fun. When the epidemic is under control and Hong Kong resolves its own problems, tourists will slowly recover when they return here because the mainland of China has always been Hong Kong's biggest advantage." He said. (Finish)