China's 'sleeping pods' are already being shut down just a week after making their big debut.
Images of the shared beds, developed by creative entrepreneurs in Beijing, went viral last week. The individual capsules from Beijing-based startup Xiangshui Space allow anyone looking to take a quick nap to rent futuristic-looking white pods for just RMB6 every 30 minutes. Shared bed outlets have opened in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.
But barely a week after three operating outlets in Shanghai opened last week, they've already closed for "system upgrading." The outlets are located in Pudong, Jing'an and Xuhui.
According to Shanghai Daily, the closure came after Pudong's fire department inspected the capsules at New Shanghai International Tower in Lujiazui. Following the inspection, they ordered the removal of the capsules, saying they didn't meet fire standards for hotels.
Shortly afterwards, Xiangshui closed its remaining Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu outlets. It's unclear when (or if) they will reopen.
Guest at hotels in China need to register their ID card to check in, and hotels also need to apply for fire safety licenses before operating. A Xiangshui spokesperson declined to say whether the capsules were licensed.
Xiangshui CEO Dai Jiangong said the company is working closely with police as well as health, fire safety and industry authorities in all three cities and is working on a "systems upgrade" of the capsules.
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