Rents and complaints about noise are forcing bar owners to leave SoHo
Rocketing rents, along with pressure from a councillor over noise, are forcing bar owners to leave SoHo, reports Mischa Moselle
SoHo faces an uncertain future as a bar and restaurant destination - perhaps a quieter one for its long-term residents and a duller one for patrons.
Restaurant and bar operators are leaving the area to set up shop in Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Pun and shopping malls amid claims that overzealous enforcement of licensing laws and exorbitant rent rises are making their businesses unviable.
I don't see a very bright future ahead without a correction in the market
So, what's coming to replace them? The spaces once occupied by Peccato and Bourbon remain empty. Sino Land is building what it describes as a boutique residential property with retail space on Staunton Street, and the imminent opening of a Ralph Lauren shop on the corner of Hollywood Road and Graham Street suggests a future of luxury shops.
"I fear a loss of character and variety," says Sandeep Sekhri, managing director of restaurant group Dining Concepts. The company's portfolio of restaurants in the area includes Olive, Cecconi's Italian, Craftsteak, SoHo Spice and Bouchon.
The change is not just happening at ground level; it is also evident in the apartments above the once busy bars and restaurants as long-term residents move to cheaper and quieter locations.
Meanwhile, two Urban Renewal Authority projects are proceeding on the basis that they will preserve parts of the area's old character, such as the 100-year-old market along Gage Street.