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Coronavirus China
ChinaPeople & Culture

Dancing with disinfectant: China’s nightclubs get back in the groove as coronavirus restrictions ease

  • Owners aim to reassure cautious clubbers that venues are safe from Covid-19 risk
  • Business returns but new measures include staff wearing masks and gloves and customer temperature checks

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People wear face masks at a nightclub this month after it reopens in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters
Reuters
Nightclubs in China have mostly come back to life as owners and customers feel increasingly comfortable the novel coronavirus epidemic is under control but disinfectant, disposable cups and masks have become part of the experience.

At 44KW, a club for electronic music lovers in the financial hub of Shanghai, customers sat, danced and mingled with little sign of social distancing on the weekend.

The club reopened in mid-March after closing for about six weeks, but it took a while for business to get back to normal.

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A nightclub and bar area in Shanghai is populated by people in masks in May as clubbers and clients return to entertainment districts. Photo: Reuters
A nightclub and bar area in Shanghai is populated by people in masks in May as clubbers and clients return to entertainment districts. Photo: Reuters

“There really weren’t many clients as most people were quite worried about their safety,” said Charles Guo, founder of 44KW.

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“Our client flow began to recover quickly towards the end of April”, Guo said, adding that business was back to last year’s average levels by mid-May.

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