Can Chinatown revive and survive in a post COVID-world?

As news of COVID-19 spread across the world in early 2020, restaurants and bars in Sydney’s Chinatown were amongst the first to be affected.

In fact, Chinatowns in Sydney and Melbourne were affected in a significant way, as diners began to keep their distance from these once popular precincts.

While many patrons stayed away in January and February, the once bustling Chinatown became a ghost town as the pandemic gained momentum and lockdown came into effect. 

Sustaining such a significant amount of damage in such a short period of time has left Sydney’s Chinatown in a precarious position. 

In recent years, dining has been regarded as a major drawcard to the region.

Western Sydney University conducted a study in 2012 where it found pubs and restaurants to be the second-largest industry in the Chinatown economy and counted over 200 food and drink businesses in the area. 

Over the past few decades, the number of restaurants, and the range of cuisine in the area, has changed dramatically.

Billy Wong, along with his parents Eric and Linda, is the owner of the 30-year-old Golden Century restaurant.

Wong pinpoints the day Chinatown began to suffer as 26 January, when the first coronavirus case was confirmed in Australia. It was one day after Lunar New Year.

Lunar New Year celebrations usually last 15 days. However, this year bookings ceased immediately.

The issue was exacerbated on 1 February, when the Federal Government closed Australian borders to foreign arrivals from China, causing a problem for the precinct as it is considered one of the top three places for tourists to visit in Sydney.

Locals also avoided entering the precinct, scared they may get contaminated.

"They didn't know what was going to happen, what the impact was, and how serious it was going to be." Chan told gourmettraveller.com.au.

"Even Chinese I know said they would go to a restaurant that was not Chinese. They were scared they might catch it."

As lockdown restrictions lift, can Chinatown recover?  

Golden Century reopened in May when up to 10 patrons were allowed to dine in at one time. At that time, they opened for three days a week and this month the restaurant is extending to five days a week with 12am closing times. 

Superbowl is another Chinatown restaurant that offers some hope, having been bought by new owners in a bid to revive the venue. Superbowl was a pillar of the Chinatown community and certainly a favourite haunt of many Sydneysiders. However, it closed in late March after operating since the mid 1970s.

The restaurant is currently being renovated and much of its most-loved menu items will remain.

If Superbowl can be revived, perhaps, so too, can the precinct.

There is a caveat.

New South Wales Premier, Gladys Berejiklian has commented that it is unlikely the state will go into lockdown for a second time. 

However, on the weekend, a case of the virus was traced to a restaurant off Broadway, not far from Chinatown leaving restaurant owners in the precinct on a knife’s edge.

Irit Jackson, 22^nd July 2020