Seymour Totti’s Foreign Policy

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It’s almost a dozen years since China reclaimed Hong Kong. I recall, prior to the hand-over, that many in the drinking classes were a bit worried about what might become of the Wanchai strip.

To some that part of Lockhart Road was just a trench filled with girlie bars. Where Filipinas danced around poles and were quite willing to leave with a customer provided he compensate the bar. A fee that was considerably more than a flight to the Philippines. (He would then have to negotiate with the girl for whatever services she might provide.)

There were some seriously expensive clubs where just the cost of a round of drinks could have got you to the Philippines, and there were a handful pubs and a few discos.

It was a pale shadow of what was available in hot spots such as Bangkok and Manila. But it was, and still is, steeped in history and tradition. This is the area where Suzie Wong plied her trade and while her world may have been eclipsed by the venues further south there were a good many girls from those places heading north in search of bigger bucks.

Arsenal Street, at the very end of the strip, is the dividing line between Wanchai and Admiralty. As the names suggest this is where the British Navy was berthed. And what is the first thing an able seaman wants when he hits land after a long voyage? That’s right, a glass of beer and a fuck! Even now the Navies of friendly countries still disembark at Fenwick Pier for a spot of R&R when they are passing.

But were the fears well founded? How has it changed under Chinese rule?

Well I think it’s fair to say that Richard Mason, the author of The world of Suzie Wong certainly wouldn’t recognise it. Indeed some people that frequented the area as little as ten years ago would notice considerable change, and I’m happy to say that it is mostly for the better.

The pole dancing bars are still there and they are still expensive but there’s a number of new bars such as The Bridge and the re-invented Old China Hand that cheerfully turn a blind eye to professional ladies hanging out in the bar. After all they attract the guys and the guys buy drinks.

Neptune Disco is still going strong but Crossroads, The Makati and Pussycat have been replaced by The New Makati, and Fenwicks ‘The Dock’. A few years ago the government launched a marketing campaign with the slogan “Hong Kong: Asia’s world city”. Nowhere is this more evident than in Fenwick’s where you can often find girls from as far away as South America complementing the usual crop from Southeast Asia.

If you prefer not to go into smoky, beery clubs and pubs it’s really quite easy just to pick someone up on the street.

There are, of course, other pubs that have large screen TVs for those that want to watch the big match and venues to fulfil our other needs. Big Ernie’s Diner do good burgers, twenty-four hour breakfasts are at The Flying Pan, Ebaneezers for kebabs and The Curry Pot is self explanatory.

Here is a brief rundown of the key haunts. There are, of course, plenty more:

1. Beverly Hotel - rooms by the hour
2. Big Ernie’s Diner - burgers etc
3. Bridge, The - beer and wimmin
4. Bulldog’s - beer and TV
5. Carnegies - beer and wimmin
6. Curry Pot One - beer and wimmin
7. Delaney’s - beer and TV
8. Ebaneezer’s - kebabs
9. Fenwicks - beer and wimmin
10. Flying Pan - 24 hour breakfasts
11. Joe Bananas - beer and wimmin
12. Ming Court Hotel - rooms by the hour
13. Neptune - beer and wimmin
14. New Makati - beer and wimmin
15. Old China Hand - beer and wimmin
16. Swindlers - beer
17. Typhoon - beer
18. Villa Victoria - rooms by the hour

See also: New chip on an old block
See also: The Red Lips Bar, Hong Kong