Across China: Bar owner from Scotland sees business thrive after optimized COVID response

"Our business greatly increased during and after the Spring Festival holiday. We have been so full, at times we had to turn people away due to the lack of seats," said Ross, adding he hired three new staff members to serve the continuous stream of customers.

"I have also seen quite a number of new people from other countries who have recently arrived in the city. Compared to last year, there has been a rise of about 80 percent of customers in the bar," Ross said.

Ross has been in Nanjing for around 20 years after first arriving in the city in 2003 to work for a Scottish oil company. He opened an Irish bar called Finnegans Wake in 2008.

Ross said he opened the bar with the simple intention of providing foreigners in Nanjing a place to enjoy Western food and beverages. "We chose to open an Irish bar because Ireland has promoted itself very well through Irish bars in major cities in the world. Nanjing is no different. It is a big international city," Ross said.

At the beginning, Ross struggled to connect with people as smartphones were considered a luxury by most residents. So he promoted his bar by handing out flyers and sending emails to potential customers.

Ross's bar serves both Western cuisine and a wide selection of wines and strives to offer a welcoming atmosphere to every customer that walks through the doors.

"So for foreigners, it is to get the food that they want. For the Chinese, it is to try new types of food, new types of drinks," Ross said, noting that more distilleries in Scotland are releasing whiskies exclusively for China, due to the growing popularity of Western beverages in the country.

Compared to the past, when around 80 percent of his customers were foreigners, the majority of his current customers are now Chinese. His bar even hosts weekly English talk shows, mainly staged by his regular customers.

Ross has established a tight bond with his staff. Many of his employees have been working at the bar for over a decade. "I think most Chinese people I work with give me lots of support. Without them, I couldn't do the job. We rely on each other to do it."

The local government, too, has provided generous help, especially during the epidemic. "We were given a lot of support from the government and our local landlord. Everybody helped each other to get through difficulties. And we just have to continue," he said.

Now that China has announced a new set of measures to optimize its COVID-19 response, Ross has seen a renewed sense of liveliness and vigor in his bar.

"When the policy changed, we can see a continued change. Our normal customers are all here again," he grinned.