Is location really everything in Hong Kong?
By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law
Staunton’s on the Central HK to Mid Levels escalator spent decades proving that, so it seemed.
Iconic at Staunton Street, and the escalator, the venue for years was the place for groups, teams, sports and beer people. The land changed hands, but the F&B concept hung on.
From the outside, it looked simple: location was everything.
Then the operators lost the site. What replaced it was forgettable; Hong Kong took hits of unrest, a long stretch when visitors stopped coming, and years when Covid raged on.
Easy to blame the market. Harder to know how much failure was the concept itself, but the location didn’t seem to save a concept.
Staunton’s then relaunched and, walking past the other night, it almost felt like the “good old days” had returned.
The government now takes a much more proactive approach to entertainment, food and beverage, nightlife and the full range of what Hong Kong offers.
If that commitment holds strong, early evening shutdowns and failing F&B tales that were all we saw will reverse, and the F&B sector will start to feel more alive again.
Location really matters, plus a real market for the right product and the infrastructure to deliver it.
But you also need.. luck and timing in food and beverage: both big enough topics for another post or two.
If you need specific input regarding a strategic Hong Kong challenge or related legal matters in the HKSAR, you can always DM me and check out my profile at https://www.ajhalkes.com
#HongKong #SoHo #CentralHK #FoodAndBeverage #Nightlife #HongKongBusiness #Hospitality #Stauntons #MidLevels #HKFandB
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