Dickens Bar: Hong Kong’s sporting oasis closes its doors after four decades of hosting global stars and Sevens fans
- It is where major World Cup debates were resolved, where Graeme Souness’ future was sorted and where George Best and Bobby Moore came to drink
Argentina’s controversial victory over Peru at the 1978 World Cup has been the centre of raging debate for the past 41 years. However, the issue was actually resolved only a few months after that infamous game in Rosario.
And it happened right here in Hong Kong, at the Excelsior Hotel’s Dickens Bar – the de facto watering hole for a generation of Hong Kong and overseas sporting stars.
Former Hong Kong star Derek Currie, one of the most popular overseas footballers to ever play in the city, was a regular visitor to the legendary bar at the hotel, which closes on March 31 after 46 years.
And the former Carlsberg marketing man is among the countless nostalgia buffs lamenting its demise, with Currie’s memories stacked with stories of sharing a pint or nine with big names from the sporting world and beyond – from George Best to Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.
Currie remembers that night in 1978 when members of Peru’s Cristal Palace football team played in Hong Kong. The squad featured several players who were part of the Peru team beaten 6-0 by Argentina in the World Cup, including “El Loco” goalkeeper Ramon Quiroga.