Category: news

LeaveHomeSafe App Required for Restaurants and Bars

From 9 December usage of the ‘LeaveHomeSafe‘ mobile app will be strictly enforced for entering all restaurants.

The Government has announced the updated arrangements for using the “LeaveHomeSafe” (LHS) mobile application that will take effect on 9 December 2021.

Scanning of the venue QR code will be required for entry to all premises regulated under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F). The modes of operation of catering business will also be adjusted accordingly…

Cap 599F covers all catering business premises that offer dine-in services, bars or pubs, bathhouses, party rooms, clubs or nightclubs, karaoke establishments, mahjong-tin kau premises, cruise ships, amusement game centres, fitness centres, places of amusement, places of public entertainment, beauty parlours and massage establishments, clubhouses, sports premises, swimming pools, hotel and guesthouses, and event premises.

If you are not sure there is more information www.coronavirus.gov.hk

Uber Eats to Shut Down

Food delivery platform Uber Eats will shut down on 31 December 2021.

Launched in 2016, Uber Eats was a late arrival to Hong Kong’s food delivery sector where Foodpanda and Deliveroo had a head start and have since become the two dominant platforms.

According to data analysis site Measurable AI, Uber Eats has barely 5% local market share compared to market leaders Foodpanda’s 51 percent and Deliveroo’s 44 percent.

Ngong Ping Nature Centre Reopens

After renovation, the Ngong Ping Nature Centre at Ngong Ping Village on Lantau Island has reopened.

The Centre houses three interactive exhibits about Lantau’s culture, history and biodiversity; information about local hiking trails and offers a “free guided-tour service of famous scenic spots and native trees around Ngong Ping.”

The Centre also now rents maps and hiking poles.

Ngong Ping Nature Centre guided tour schedule 2021

Ngong Ping Nature Centre
Ngong Ping Village
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm daily including Public Holidays

Hong Kong Underwater Photo Competition 2021 Winners

The winners of the 10th Hong Kong Underwater Photo Competition 2021 – for photos taken in the year up to 30 September 2021 – have been announced and the winner in the Macro & Close-Up category is Fran Cheung for her image “Single-eyed Hairy Shrimp” (above) taken off  Yin Tsz Ngam. While Henry Li is the Champion of the Standard and Wide Angle Category.

Macro & Close-Up

First Runner-up: 
Poon Yiu Nam David – I Believe I Can Fly, taken off East Dam

Second Runner-up: 
Henry Li

Standard & Wide Angle Champion: Henry Li

First Runner-up: 
Yu Wing Chung

Second Runner-up: 
Ho Tsz Hung Daniel

Exhibition of winning entries will be held as follows:

Date: 28 November – 2 December 2021
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Venue A, Level 7, Fortune Metropolis, Hung Hom

Date: 2-6 January, 2022
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Atrium C, L2, MOSTown, Ma On Shan

There is also a virtual exhibition of the winning entries at www.golocal360.co/HKUPVC2021/index.htm which is online until 27 November, 2022.

A booklet about this year’s competition and the winners can be downloaded here

The Wanch to Reopen in 2022

The Wanch team announced on their website and Facebook page today that the popular live music venue will reopen in early 2022. The new location will be just along the street from its previous incarnation at 90-92 Jaffe Road in what was previously Uptown 90. That’s opposite Joe Bananas.

Here is the post:

“Hi Everyone,
It has been challenging times since the pandemic hit worldwide in 2020. Times have been difficult for individuals, businesses, and the arts. It was a difficult decision to suspend operation of The Wanch back in August 2020, but a necessary one. At that time we made a promise to Hong Kong and the music community to reopen The Wanch when the time was right.

Well that time has come as on Dec. 1st we take possession of the venue that will become the new home of The Wanch at 90-92 Jaffe Rd, 1st Floor Henan Building (Formerly Uptown 90). Renovation starts the same day and we are targeting to open the doors with our first show sometime in Feb. 2022.

We will keep you all updated on the progress of the renovation with weekly pictures & videos on our website, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. We look forward to rocking Hong Kong once again and joining all the other music venues that have been keeping live music alive. We look forward to being part of Hong Kong’s music scene & community once again.

Take care & watch for our updates.”

Many of Hong Kong’s musical legends created marvellous memories in the old location. Let’s hope the new Wanch inspires a new generation to create and inspire the beauty and sensuous pleasure that is ‘live music’.

The Wanch
1/F Henan Building (Formerly Uptown 90)
90-92 Jaffe Road
Wanchai

Hong Kong Players Compete in Virtual WESPA Championship 2021

Hong Kong has three entrants in this year’s World English Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Virtual Championship 2021.

Brian Po, Thomson Law Long Yin and Douglas Tsang are playing in the Virtual WESPA Championship 2021 group stages over two weekends on woogles.io.

105 of the top Scrabble players around the world are competing in 5 groups. Brian will be in Group A, while Thomson and Douglas are in Group B. And you can catch all the action live at https://woogles.io/tournament/wespac2021

Hong Kong players Tournament schedule of  (HK time):
Brian Po (Group A)
20 & 27 Nov 15:00 v Group D
20 & 27 Nov 18:00 v Group C
21 & 28 Nov 00:00 v Group E
21 & 28 Nov 20:00 v Group B

Douglas Tsang, Thomson Law (Group B)
20 & 27 Nov 21:00 v Group E
21 & 28 Nov 14:00 v Group D
21 & 28 Nov 17:00 v Group C
21 & 28 Nov 20:00 v Group A

Find out more about competitive scrabble in Hong Kong at hkscrabble.org

There are also social Scrabble meetings, visit The Hong Kong Social Scrabble Meetup Group for details of their meetings.

Cyclothon Returns in 2022

Local cyclists will get a chance to ride on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge for the first time when the Cyclothon makes a comeback in January 2022.

Organised by the HK Tourism Board (HKTB) the Cyclothon returns after its hiatus with a brand new route and a virtual reality racing experience.

The new route has riders start from the Hong Kong Port – the starting point of the bridge in the SAR – and travel through the Scenic Hill Tunnel and along the highway between Airport Channel and western waters and onto the Hong Kong section of the bridge. Riders will then return to the Hong Kong Port.

Registration, which opens on Saturday, is limited to 3,000 participants – who are required to be fully vaccinated and get a negative test result within 48 hours before the event.

Mason Hung, general manager of event and product development at the HK Tourism Board said riders should not wear uniforms or display slogans carrying political meanings, adding anyone who fails to comply will be referred to law enforcement.

There will also be a ‘virtual cyclothon‘ – if you have an android tablet – where from 3-16 January cyclists from around the world can join the virtual race featuring an animated event route mimicking the unique 26 km Cyclothon route.

Don’t have an android tablet then head to Sports Expo in Mongkok or AME E-sports Stadium in TST to enjoy the 45-minute ride.

Cyclothon
Date: 16 January, 2022
Venue: Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
Tickets: $750, $500
More info: registration www.discoverhongkong.com/cyclothon