HongKong’s famed floating restaurant, the 76-metre long behemoth was towed out of the city this week after the Covid pandemic finally sank the struggling business. The floating restaurant will leave Hong Kong and await a new operator at an undisclosed location.
The floating restaurant, which was once a famous landmark, was designed like a Chinese imperial palace and could seat 2,300 diners. It drew visitors from Queen Elizabeth II to Tom Cruise. It was opened in 1976 by the late casino tycoon Stanley Ho. The restaurant embodied the height of luxury, reportedly costing more than $3.8 million to build
It lasted more than 46 years. It has featured in many Cantonese and Hollywood films in its heyday. But it's now time over for Hong Kong's Jumbo Floating Restaurant. One of the biggest attractions inside was a "dragon throne" in the style of the Ming dynasty. The throne was fondly remembered by many of those watching the restaurant's departure.
The lavish restaurant was kept afloat by Hong Kong's booming tourism industry. Its operators cited the Covid-19 pandemic as the reason for finally closing its doors in March 2020. That was after around a decade of financial woes.
