Hong Kong’s beleaguered bar trade has cried foul over what it calls the government’s double standards in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and warned of waves of closures if premises must remain shut even as social-distancing rules eased again.
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. “Why are restaurants allowed to open for business but bars and pubs have to close their doors for such a long time?” he asked.
Chin said existing initiatives such as the HK$81 billion employment support scheme, which subsidises workers’ wages for six months, capped at HK$9,000 per month, did not take into account the third wave of infections. But Wong welcomed the relaxation of public gatherings to four people, saying it would help them to resume at least 75 per cent of business.
“I hope the government can further relax the operating hours until midnight and extend the number of people per table to six.”