Several notable establishments in Zhujiang New Town closed their second floor and mezzanine areas today, including notable pubs McCawley’s and Morgan’s, as well as ‘Outstanding Restaurant of the Year’ at our 2017 That’s Guangzhou Food & Drink Awards, Social&Co (whose beautiful mezzanine is pictured above).
According to several restaurateurs, the closure was ordered by authorities due to fire concerns and has caused 117 operations to shutter their second and mezzanine levels.
A December 12 release from Guangdong Fire Department states that the province is carrying out “special fire safety operations” in response to a recent spat of deadly fires in the Middle Kingdom, including a blaze in Foshan on November 20 and the deadly fire in Beijing’s Daxing District on November 18.
The release goes on to state that buildings must have effective emergency exits, something most bars and restaurants with mezzanine floors do not have.
While most F&B businesses seem to be adapting to the new rules, the ban on uncertified second floors has hit others particularly hard: beloved 13 Factories has closed its doors, owing to the fact the majority of the eatery’s seating is on its second floor. According to a WeChat post from the proprietor of 13 Factories, ownership plans to “regroup and sort things out.” Positive news (we hope) for fans of the restaurant’s succulent minced duck burger.
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