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| Jumbo Floating Restaurant was opened in 1976 |
Remember Jumbo Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen? In its heyday it mimicked the look of an imperial palace, where visitors could dress up in royal robes and sit on the throne for a picture before tucking into a Chinese banquet-style dinner.
To me it was very kitsch and touristy, I didn't quite see the charm of the place, while other guests lapped up the idea of being an emperor or empress for a photo.
Later parts of Jumbo were rented out to restaurant groups who tried to turn the outdoor deck space into a hip area for drinks. But that didn't last long.
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| Mounting losses forced Jumbo to close in 2020 |
It was donated to Ocean Park in hopes that it could revive the massive floating restaurant, but there were no restaurant operators interested in taking on an ageing and expensive place that cost several million to upkeep every year.
Now the vessel's license is set to expire next month and its owner, Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises is searching for a proper docking space for this massive structure in order to carry out regular maintenance.
Since Hong Kong does not have such a space, Jumbo will have to leave the city after four decades.
"As different sectors in Hong Kong have been hit by the fifth wave of infections, we foresee that the Jumbo Floating Restaurant cannot return to business in the near future," the company said.
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| In its heyday the restaurant catered to tourists |
Therefore it will send out the floating restaurant somewhere for maintenance while it waits for a white knight to come... but who will?
Jumbo had an inauspicious start -- on October 30, 1971, a fire broke out on the restaurant which led to the deaths of 34 people and 42 injured. It was eventually reopened five years later by gambling tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun who had the floating restaurant decorated like an imperial palace.
The chances of Jumbo have another life are pretty slim... its time and place have long gone.
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