Hong Kong’s move to allow restaurants, bars and pubs to remain open past 2am is too little, too late, industry leaders have said, arguing residents have grown accustomed to eating dinner earlier and cooking at home more often during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government should do more for the industry by easing restrictions on arrivals and allow them to enter venues off-limits to them during their initial three days of medical surveillance, they suggested.

After nearly three years of social-distancing curbs, the government on Thursday permitted eateries and drinking spots to once again set their own hours, just in time for the return of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament that kicks off on Friday.

Barbecue sites under government management will also reopen to the public.

Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, predicted the change would improve business by at least 20 per cent for about 1,000 eateries that stayed open late or overnight, out of roughly 17,000 still in operation.

“Everybody is cautious as they don’t know if the relaxation of opening hours will achieve the ideal results as expected,” he said.

Previously, restaurants could operate until midnight with a maximum of 12 diners per table, while the city’s nightspots were required to close at 2am. Barbecue sites under government management will also reopen to the public.

Wong urged the government to end other Covid-19 rules on restaurants, including the cap on banquet capacity at 240 people and the requirement that they all show proof of a negative test.

Seafood Delight Group chairman David Leung Chi-wai, said the company’s more than 10 Chinese restaurants would stay open a few hours longer to around 1am, but he did not expect much increase in turnover, as dining habits had already changed.

Most restaurants were empty by roughly 9pm, as Hongkongers had switched to leaving for home early or preparing dinners themselves during the pandemic, he noted.

“The relaxation will benefit some in the industry that used to rely on business after midnight, but for our Chinese restaurants, it is of little help,” he said.

Ray Chui Man-wai, chairman of industry group Institute of Dining Professionals, agreed the business landscape had changed, but suggested some establishments accustomed to staying open late, such as kebab shops, could benefit from the longer bar hours.

“I believe the business of restaurants will gradually recover … but it takes time to digest and also for residents to change lifestyles,” he said.

Entertainment tycoon Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group, was upbeat about the lifting of restrictions on opening hours.

Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group.

“Now with the unlimited hours for restaurants, bars and clubs all at one time, and with live music available, you’re back in business,” he said, referring to changes adopted last month. “Everyone I’ve talked to are just breathing a sigh of relief.”

But Zeman echoed the call for the government to allow tourists into venues during their medical surveillance period to further boost business.

Bars, pubs and clubs have been forced to shut down several times during the pandemic, and he estimated about 400 had closed for good.

Previously, restaurants could operate until midnight with a maximum of 12 diners per table.

“Right now, everyone’s dependent just on the local market, which is still a very, very good market,” he said. “But Hong Kong does need tourists.”

Ben Leung Lap-yan, the charter president of the Licensed Bar and Club Association of Hong Kong, welcomed the relaxation of hours, but said the other restrictive measures, such as patrons needing to provide proof of negative rapid Covid test results, would limit the industry’s recovery to 70 to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

Charlene Dawes, owner of Tastings Group, estimated the easing of operating hours would help her three bars and two restaurants by about 10 per cent. One of her bars was forced to close permanently during the pandemic.

“It will help,” Dawes said. “But is it dramatically going to change a lot of our conditions or recover a lot of our losses from the past? It’s still too early to say.”

The Pontiac, on Old Bailey Street, would extend its hours until 1am with co-owner Beckaly Franks saying the relaxation could boost business by about 20 per cent.

“We make the most money between 11pm-1am,” she said. “The relaxation is vital to us.”