CLUBS and restaurants in public parks have been closed in Shenzhen following an order from the Central Government, though there are still some tea houses operating in parks, according to a report by Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.
At Shenzhen Flowers and Gardens Exposition Park, a building on the north side of the park has been closed. It used to be a tea house before being forced to shut down by the park’s management after the Central Government forbid clubs, restaurants and private venues from operating in public park areas.
A tea house halfway up the hill in Huanggang Park was also closed and a restaurant inside the park was also shut down, the latter being replaced by a company that provides consultations for cultural projects.
Yet a tea house near the sports square of the park is still in operation, charging visitors anywhere from dozens to hundreds of yuan for their services.
The office director of the park’s management said the tea house is open to all visitors and that its rental income will be given to the city’s treasury. The rent for the 100-square-meter tea house is around 10,000 yuan (US$1,639) a month.
At Litchi Park in Luohu District, a tea house with different functions — like private VIP rooms, chess rooms and dining halls — was still in operation. The tea house’s lease expired this August, but the operator refused to relocate. The park’s management subsequently took legal action, yet the business remains unaffected.
According to the city’s park management center, private clubs and restaurants aren’t allowed to be built or operate in public parks. Some low-price restaurants and tea houses, however, are allowed.(Han Ximin)
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