Bars, shops demolished in Beijing’s well-known expat haunt
Officials say illegal construction work and businesses had been operating in ‘Dirty Bar Street’ in Sanlitun
Beijing may have found the best hangover cure of all: demolish the bars altogether.
Over 30 stores in Sanlitun Houjie – better known as Dirty Bar Street – were demolished on Monday afternoon, ending an era of grimy pubs and restaurants popular with expats.
Pictures posted on social media show the once-bustling street, located behind the more upmarket Taikoo Li development in Sanlitun, reduced to rubble.
Zhao Yong, the head of the Sanlitun enforcement team, was quoted by the Winshang news website as saying that the decision to forcefully evict residents and demolish the stretch came after businesses engaged in a range of illegal activities, including altering their buildings or carrying out construction work without permits, plus setting up unlicenced kiosks.