Late opening to boost Xuhui nightlife
Landmark shopping complex and cultural sites in Xuhui District are being encouraged to stay open later to help boost the city’s nightime economy.
The district government released a guideline on Wednesday aimed at creating a downtown nightlife destination featuring “international, Shanghai and fashionable” styles, while disturbance to traffic and residents.
About 30 shopping malls, including those in Xujiahui, Hengshan and Fuxing roads as well as the West Bund waterfront, are among the first batch selected to extend their opening hours.
Some popular eateries will be allowed to have tables on the street at certain times.
Cinemas, bookstores, music clubs and night show venues are also allowed to operate late at night. Approval procedures for nighttime events have been simplified, according to the guideline.
Time-honored eatery brands, such as the Qiao Restaurant, or Qiaojiashan, known for local specialty liang mian huang (both sides yellow) fried noodles and local dim sum, are also being asked to join the nightlife campaign.
The traditional eatery on Xiangyang Road S., which reopened in April after a major renovation, will stay open late every day, while all the other dim sum franchise stores will stay open until 8:30pm, the company said.
Since it reopened, their have been long lines of customers waiting outside every day, especially at lunch and dinner times.
Cultural landmarks in Xuhui such as Shanghai Library, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall, West Bund Art Center and Tank Shanghai will hold more events at night.
Shanghai is aiming to revive its nightlife after shutting down noisy late-night bars and eateries over the past few years in response to residents’ complaints. The revival is part of the city government's efforts to make the city an international shopping destination.
The plan is to develop a prosperous nightlife economy between 7pm and 6am.
Bars and restaurants that qualify will be allowed to have tables on the street and some streets will be closed to traffic at certain times to make way for bars and late-night snack stalls.
The district’s market watchdog and traffic police have been asked to enhance supervision to avoid distrupting traffic and disturbing residents.
The police will make sure the Hengfu (Hengshan-Fuxing Road) Historical Conservation Zone, which features historical villas and former residences of celebrities, is free of traffic at night. Parking will be allowed on some other streets in the zone at night.
Eateries allowed tables on streets mustn’t block pedestrian and emergency access or major roads. No structure or fixed facilities are allowed.
The number of seats outside must be no more that 30 percent of a restaurant’s indoor seats, according to the district, and they must take steps to prevent noise, smells, garbage and pollution.