End of an era as Hong Kong’s Excelsior hotel, a Causeway Bay landmark that once drew movie stars, tycoons and celebrities, will close its doors after 46 years

It is happy hour at Dickens Bar on a weekday and the British-style pub in the Excelsior hotel is packed, with a line of people making their way down the winding staircase to get in.

Bartender Rwinky Lau Kam-yuk is multitasking, taking orders, mixing cocktails, pouring beers and handing out bowls of peanuts and popcorn.

“This is a place to watch rugby, the Super Bowl and soccer matches, for families to gather, for white collar workers and airline cabin crew to chill out, and even for dating couples. But this will become history,” says the 51-year-old who has worked in the bar for the past 23 years.

The 34-storey hotel, once a Causeway Bay landmark which drew movie stars, tycoons and celebrities, will shut its doors on March 31 to make way for a US$650 million, mixed-use commercial tower. About 500 staff will be made redundant although they have been given the chance to reapply for other jobs with the company.

“We’ve had many customers dropping by recently, since news of the shutdown spread,” Lau said.

For wine specialist Ross Chan, 44, a long-time patron of Dickens Bar, the basement pub holds bittersweet memories.