Amidst Beijing’s latest COVID-19 outbreak, one particular bar chain has hit the headlines – that of Heaven Supermarket. That’s because officials in the Chinese capital have linked the latest chain of infection to customers who visited two of the Heaven Supermarket venues.
It now seems that Yutai Candy Entertainment Company Ltd., which owns the chain of bars, is in a spot of bother with the law.
Just in case you’re not up to speed, here’s a quick reminder of what happened:
287 Confirmed Cases
That’s how many cases in Beijing have been linked to the bar. The cases are spread across 14 Beijing districts, as well as the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area.
That’s also why some areas of the city have faced new regulations, just days after the lifting of COVID rules.
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Gongti (Worker’s Stadium)
That’s the area to which the latest Beijing outbreak of COVID-19 has been linked. The area includes a number of popular bars and nightclubs.
The first few cases were recorded on June 9, just three days after restrictions on venues’ indoor dining was lifted.
Beijing Daily reports that two confirmed cases, who live in Chaoyang district, visited two Heaven Supermarket venues, as well as One Third nightclub, Fresh Club, PH bar and Ai Le bar. This was between Monday, June 6 and Thursday, June 9 – a pair of midweek party animals.
The full statement by the Chaoyang District Market Regulation Authority regarding the investigation of Yutai Candy Entertainment Company Ltd. Screengrab via WeChat/北京市朝阳区市场监督管理局
On June 10, an investigation began into Heaven Supermarket. Chaoyang District Market Regulation Authority alleged that venues were not properly checking guests’ temperature or proof of a negative nucleic acid test, nor were they requiring guests to scan the Beijing Health Kit (北京健康宝) QR code.
It was then decided on June 12 that Yutai Candy Entertainment Company Ltd. would have its business license revoked and be placed on a blacklist. The announcement was made on June 14 via the Chaoyang District Market Regulation Authority’s WeChat Official Account.
So, does that mean no more Heaven Supermarket?
The statement doesn’t specify whether or not the license revocation is permanent, but things don’t look great for now.
According to Baike, Heaven Supermarket first opened its Gongti branch in 2007. The chain has now expanded to other parts of the city, including Wangjing, Changping and Wudaokou in Haidian district.
In one of our main WeChat groups, some That’s Beijing readers shared their experiences of visiting Heaven Supermarket venues. There were some choice words used, not to mention one reader’s experience of the restrooms.
However, on the upside, drinks are pretty cheap – great if you’re on a budget.
If this really is the end for Heaven Supermarket, will you mourn?
[Cover image via Weibo/@中国长安网]
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