'High-end entertainment venue' set to return TST with hopes to restore glittering nightlife

A "high-end entertainment venue" is set to brighten up Tsim Sha Tsui nightlife as a new clubhouse will be located at the 50,000-square feet site once occupied by iconic "Club Bboss" - a witness to Hong Kong's glamorous past.

Sources said the new tenant, a consortium, paid a monthly rent of around HK$1.4 million to make use of the vast space to set up a complex with entertainment, dining, conferences, exhibitions, and more. 

It was learned that the venue at New Mandarin Plaza is a licensed liquor premise and comes with karaoke and performance establishment permits. 

There will be a stage, a bar area, a nightclub, karaoke rooms, and exclusive VIP rooms, aiming to attract the younger generation and customers willing to spend extra money on services.

The consortium was said to be ready to recreate the thriving era of Tsim Sha Tsui nightclubs and make the venue a new landmark.

Since the closure of Club Bboss in 2012, a duty-free shop has leased the site - with a monthly rent of around HK$1.35 million - and it ceased operations due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Edwin Lee Kan-hing, founder of the Bridgeway Prime Shop Fund, said the current rental rate is higher than the peak in 2013 and reflects the tenants' confidence in Hong Kong's economy.

He added that the renovation cost for a venue of 50,000 square feet is expected to cost at least HK$80 million, indicating the tenant's positive outlook for the Tsim Sha Tsui district.

"This is an excellent good news for Hong Kong," Lee noted.

The founder of Club Bboss Law Cheuk purchased the shop units at New Mandarin Plaza for HK$186 million in 1996 and invested HK$90 million in luxurious renovations, adopting a high-end Japanese style for the nightclub.