Hong Kong music club Hidden Agenda confirms closure by end October amid venue woes
Opposition lawmaker says lack of government support in policy is because musicians are ‘at the bottom of the food chain’
A live music club in Hong Kong is set to close by the end of the month amid lack of progress in negotiations over the use of its premises in an industrial building.
Hidden Agenda in Kwun Tong, which has hosted musicians from around the world in more than 500 shows, announced on its Facebook page on Saturday that it was closing.
It cited a stalemate in discussions with the government, over policies involving the use of industrial buildings.
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The future of the indie club has been in doubt for months since the Lands Department refused to grant it a public entertainment licence.
“Because the government’s new policies still fail to bring about a new situation for users of industrial buildings, we will return the premises to the landlord on the 30th of this month,” a club spokesman said in the Facebook post.
