COVID Kills Hong Kong's Jumbo Floating Restaurant

After being closed by the pandemic, a landmark floating restaurant that served Cantonese cuisine and seafood to Queen Elizabeth II, Tom Cruise, and millions of other diners was towed from the Hong Kong harbor front on Tuesday, Mainichi Japan reported.

Photo Insert: Jumbo Floating Restaurant was known for its Cantonese cuisine and seafood dishes. It has had over 30 million visitors since its inception in 1976.

After months of COVID-19 restrictions, the parent company of Jumbo Floating Restaurant was unable to find a new owner and was unable to maintain it.

The massive floating restaurant on Aberdeen Harbor, designed in the style of a Chinese imperial palace, was known for its Cantonese cuisine and seafood dishes. It has had over 30 million visitors since its inception in 1976, according to the Associated Press (AP).

However, due to the pandemic, the restaurant was forced to close in 2020, and all employees were laid off. Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises, the parent company, stated that the floating restaurant had become a financial burden to shareholders because millions of Hong Kong dollars were spent on inspection and maintenance every year, even though the restaurant was not operating.

"We do not foresee that (Jumbo Floating Restaurant) can resume business in the immediate future," the company said. It claimed that high operating costs stymied potential deals to keep the restaurant open.

The restaurant was towed away by tugboats on Tuesday, but it was unclear where it would berth next. The company intended to relocate it to a lower-cost location where maintenance could still be performed.

Despite calls from lawmakers to save the iconic landmark, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam previously rejected suggestions to bail out the restaurant.

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