Where Hong Kong got its hangovers at the handover: 12 favourite bars of the mid-1990s remembered
In the heady days leading up to the handover, bars and clubs were packing them in from Lan Kwai Fong to Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui, even in a Causeway Bay shopping mall. Here are a few nightlife staples that are no longer with us
Foundations are being pounded into the ground on Tun Wo Lane, in Hong Kong’s SoHo nightlife area, on the site where, in the 1990s, stood what was considered to be among the spiritual homes of the city’s bohemian set.
Soon, another high-rise tower block will emerge, but the countdown to the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover has rekindled memories of when Petticoat Lane was there, half hidden behind strategically positioned plastic bushes. In the city’s last days as a British colony, the bar was visited by the likes of supermodel Kate Moss, singer Boy George and Jeremy Irons, the actor having virtually taken up residence while in town to shoot Chinese Box, director Wayne Wang’s take on the historic event.
I met a very disappointing Kate Moss, whose voice failed her looks as she dined with David Tang
Richard Smith remembers those times with surprising clarity, given the late nights staff worked. “The clientele were a mix of creatives, socialites and the elite, and the staff were employed for their character – and some for their looks, but not me,” Smith says.
“You followed the candlelit alleyway and through the faux bushes to this hidden oasis of a charming baroque bar with cheeky elements, like the witty toilet signage – the Thunder Box and the Powder Box. It was always a fun atmosphere where lines were blurred between staff and customers.
“I met a very disappointing Kate Moss, whose voice failed her looks, as she dined with David Tang. I had the pleasure of meeting Boy George after hours during a lock-in – completely charming and interested in everyone else’s stories.”
Petticoat Lane was among a number of handover-era bars that have faded from the scene over the past 20 years, victim of ever-rising rents and changing tastes. Here’s a look back at some of the best of that bygone era.
