Chinatowns could be lost forever, fears chef
BRITAIN is in danger of losing its Chinatowns unless the Government steps in, a leading Chinese chef says.
Ching He Huang, who appears on BBC’S Saturday Kitchen and Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, warns that coronavirus will be the final straw for already struggling communities in cities across the country.
She said: “In Chinatown [in London] many tourists, students, visitors going to London generally, they just stopped, they just avoided the whole area. I’ve seen many of my friends lose their businesses. I’ve seen many of them decide to stop altogether and close shops.
“Before lockdown they were already struggling in terms of business in January anyway, year on year.the rates and rents were already very high for them to cope and then when the news happened in China and this all started, no one was going into Chinatown – it was virtually empty. Everybody exited just like that.”
She said the same happened in Liverpool,
Manchester and other cities. Individual Chinese restaurants are also suffering, she told the Blue Collar Conservative podcast with former cabinet minister Esther Mcvey.
Ching, 41, said: “The Government
[needs to] recognise that this is a significant area that needs to be protected for the communities in the UK.”
Esther, who was born in Liverpool, said: “Being from the city with the oldest Chinese community in Europe, I want our Chinatowns to thrive.they are a very visible sign of international friendships.”