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Matthew M. Chew Hong Kong Baptist University

Night-time Consumption Spaces and Urban Renewal in China: the Case of Guangzhou ’ s ‘ Baietan Bar-street ’. Matthew M. Chew Hong Kong Baptist University. Emergence of Night-time Consumption Spaces in China. the phenomenon of ‘ bar-street s ’ ( 酒吧街 )

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Matthew M. Chew Hong Kong Baptist University

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  1. Night-time Consumption Spaces and Urban Renewal in China: the Case of Guangzhou’s ‘Baietan Bar-street’ Matthew M. Chew Hong Kong Baptist University

  2. Emergence of Night-time Consumption Spaces in China • the phenomenon of ‘bar-streets’ (酒吧街) • aggregation of night-time entertainment businesses: restaurants, cafes, discos, dance clubs, hostess clubs • the majority are new development projects: not organically, historically developed • situated in prime commercial, scenic, central, and/or historical locations in cities • began from 2002 • more than 20 large bar-streets projects completed in the past 5 years

  3. Baietan Bar-street, Fangcun District, Guangzhou (白鹅潭, 芳村区, 广州) • the very first ‘development project’ type of bar-street: already in business in mid-2002 • 1.2 km strip along the lake, about 600 m as the 1st phase • the strip of land (24,000 sqm) was an old factories and slum area • situated in a marginal location: SW corner of Guangzhou) • government paid for the infrastructure and construction • bar-street managed by a property management company

  4. Map of Fangcun

  5. Data and Methods • data collection periods • 2004-05 • 2007 • methods • participant observation of cultural consumption • formal interviews of officials and intellectuals • ethnographic interview of consumers and nightlife business managers/owners • documentary data

  6. Four Problems • 1. why did nightlife districts such as Baietan Bar-street emerge in China? • 2. how was the Baietan Bar-street constructed? • 3. how did it develop in the context of contestation among the stakeholders? • 4. what are its urban and social impacts

  7. Why did Baietan Bar-street emerge? • suppression of nightlife in China • the Chinese state has always been inimical to nightlife, esp. Western nightlife • nation-wide, high-handed and successful suppression of Ecstasy-driven nightlife scene in 1999-2001 • explanations applicable to Europe and N. America cases • marketing cities for tourism • facilitating cultural industries; 24-hour city concept

  8. Why did Baietan Bar-street emerge? (cont’) • specific explanations for the Chinese case • “the market demands it” • ‘face engineering,’‘political achievement engineering’ • marketing cities for FDI • city competitiveness • district local tax; district renewal • state need domestic consumer spending to sustain high national economic growth • control of nightlife people and business by aggregating them on state-monitored public spaces • divert idle citizens from religions such as Fa Lun Gong

  9. How was the Baietan Bar-street Constructed? • top-down process • provincial and high-level official initiative • city and local official support despite they get a negative feasibility consultation • special temporary land-use arrangement • to safeguard against the central government • unconfident in controlling and developing the night-time economy

  10. How was the Baietan Bar-street Constructed? (cont’) • theme-ing: mistaken style orientation • missed the targeted middle-class Guangzhou clientele • yet attracted another viable one: the nouveau riche from Panyu, Nanhai, and Foshan

  11. Development of the Baietan Bar-street • competition with similar efforts in 3 other Guangzhou districts (越秀区, 海珠区, 东山区) • organized violent conflicts: • local gang businessmen vs. officials and management company • local gang consumers vs. security guards

  12. Development of the Baietan Bar-street (cont’) • dominated by highest profit businesses • bars • dance clubs • poor business and profit performance • has been profitable for a short while, mid-2003 to Sept 2004 • many businesses closed down in late 2004 • rental rates lowered a lot in 2005 • number of bars/clubs went from 30+ to around 15 in 2007

  13. Development of the Baietan Bar-street (cont’) • additions/revisions to the bar-street • heritage tourism attractions • a broader range of cultural attractions: heritage buildings, art museum, artists’ workshops, cafes, site for photographers

  14. Negative Urban and Social Impacts • gentrification and disneyization • commercialization • drugs and commercial sex • hurting local residents • noise • displacement

  15. Positive Urban and Social Impacts • use of space by the public and locals • accommodating heritage and art • regeneration of a marginal urban area • profits small local retailers and hawkers • local tax

  16. Theoretical Critiques and Conclusions • critique of culture-led urban regeneration: gentrification, disneyization, aesthetization • negative consequencies of the 24-hour city and the night-time economy • critique of the turn towards heightened cultural consumption in China

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