Wan Chai’s famous Irish pub Delaney’s is set to close down in August, as its owners found they were unable to afford rent when it recently increased.
According to HKFP, Hong Kong’s first Irish pub has paid over HKD100 million in rent for their spot at the corner of Luard Road and Jaffe Road since its opening in 1994 almost exactly 21 years ago.
Managing Director Noel Smyth said he’s looked everywhere for a new location, including Soho and Central, with no luck.
Sino Group, which owns the location, has already found new tenants for the property.
Smyth said he was happy to run the bar at a loss, but the landlords would not negotiate the rent to a price that was more affordable, making him feel “a little hard done by”.
Evil Sino! Think of all the poor expats needing a pint of Guinness after work!
The managing director also told HKFP that the rent increase is part of a growing trend of gentrification, perhaps not seeing the irony in managing Hong Kong’s first Irish pub (and the city’s first pub to serve Guinness on tap) while complaining about rich people coming in and replacing old establishments.
(In 2001, it moved from its original second floor location to the ground floor, replacing a Chinese restaurant.)
After the bar shuts down, six to eight members of their staff will be out of a job.
Well, better head to Delaney’s and give them the send-off of a lifetime!
Photo: Delaney’s
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