Hanoi relaxes 'curfew' until 2am

From September 1, restaurants and bars in Hoan Kiem district will be allowed to operate until 2am on the 3 weekends.

At the meeting on the morning of August 24, the Hanoi People's Committee decided that from September 1, the city willPilot program allowing restaurants and bars in Hoan Kiem district to operate after midnight.

"The pilot will be applied for 3 weekends and restaurants and bars will be allowed to operate until 2am,"Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said.

Residents and tourists will have more options for their entertainment activities after Hanoi's decision to relax its "curfew hours". Photo: Ngoc Thanh.

City leaders require that all restaurant and bar business activities after 24 hours must ensure safety and security conditions; have business registration with Hoan Kiem district; have good soundproofing to not affect the surrounding area; and strictly prohibit the sale of alcohol to children.

Mr. Chung said that, despite the curfew, many bars are still operating illegally. Therefore, Hanoi allows shops to open after midnight to serve the needs of tourists, and also to have better management measures.

Tourists drink draft beer in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Photo: Le Bich.

At the national tourism conference on August 9, Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung announced for the first time that Hanoi will open entertainment areas after midnight. "The city currently has regulations prohibiting entertainment areas from operating after midnight, while many foreign tourists consider night entertainment a "specialty". Therefore, in the coming time, we will review and open for international tourists to enjoy after this time."

The Capital City Government is managing service businesses according to the Regulations on Cultural Activities and Public Cultural Service Businesses. These regulations stipulate that performing arts, fashion shows, dance clubs, and karaoke are all prohibited from 12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. For electronic games and other forms of entertainment, the prohibited time is from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Vo Hai

According to VNE