It’s something spoken about by many, warnings have been issued, complaints made, falls taken place way too many times, and yet, there are far too many restaurants, clubs and bars in Hong Kong that either make cosmetic changes, but seldom fix the real problems: Shaky stairs leading to their venues, low ceiling at doorways and other Design 101 problems.
Last night, after almost trying to fucking hurdle over stupidly designed stairs to get to a restaurant in Soho, one person in our party fell and now has a nasty gash on their leg. And all around Soho- and Lan Kwai Fong- and its side streets are shocking examples of these shoddy “designs” that should never ever have been approved before these venues opened.
Ever, for example, tried to leave Peel Fresco even without consuming any drinks and looking at the stairs and worrying about coming crashing down onto the ground?
When asked why, after years of complaints, the problem of various venues’ steps has still not been corrected, the answer we received is that the “government” won’t allow any “extra building” in front of the restaurant.
Huh? It’s not about “extra” anything, Einstein. It’s about what’s already there and designed without CUSTOMER SAFETY in mind!
This raises a myriad of questions: How was the design of the original venue approved in the first place by the city planners? Must there be a tragic fall for anything to be done to rectify matters? Must there be some landmark lawsuit for everyone concerned to wake up?
In any country in the West- and Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo- areas like that “death ramp” down Shelley Street where the Peak Cafe Bar is located, we have seen so many sweet young things tottering on high heels take embarrassing tumbles. Far more seriously, we have seen elderly people fall, and which is no laughing matter.
When and who will fix this and so many other problems- and who will pay for all of this other than the public?
Ridiculous as it might sound, we are taking far too many risks to go out and enjoy ourselves and give these restaurants and bars located in these rickety areas some business. It must stop. Or lawsuits will become a common occurrence.
