Famous Shanghai bar to reopen

Shanghai Longbar

A famous Shanghai bar that was open during colonial times is set to reopen after being closed for 70 years.

In its heyday the fabled Long Bar of Shanghai was the liveliest place in the city, serving as the drinking establishment of choice for British colonials during the time of British rule. It was a very exclusive venue that turned away many esteemed visitors, even the tea baron Thomas Lipton was denied entry on account of being a “greengrocer.”

The premises of the bar have recently undergone a hefty six-month renovation, and now the Long Bar is ready to reopen, as part of a new Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Peter Hibbard of the Royal Asiatic Society said: “I think it's magnificent. I'm really impressed at how they have brought back the Long Bar. It's one of the most wonderful things on the Bund.”

The bar has been recreated to look as much like the original Long Bar as possible, using original blueprints and old photographs craftsmen managed to replicate the feel of the bar. The architect in charge of the restoration, Ian Carr said: “We got into detail about the legs of the chairs and even the colour scheme.”