local government bolsters metropolis' economy by regulating outdoor seating for those seeking to connect with nature while dining or sipping, zheng yiran reports.
residents sit along maoming north road, a pedestrian street, dining outdoors in shanghai on march 28. gao erqiang/china daily
daxue road in yangpu district is one of the most popular food streets in shanghai. the 700-plus-meter-long street is packed with more than 80 stores, mainly restaurants and cafes, with the majority having outdoor seating areas of various styles.
for instance, a fashionable sportswear store has meticulously created a camping-style outdoor display area at its entrance, paved with gravel and furnished with stylish camping chairs, which has become an instant photo-op spot for young people.
thanks to these al fresco areas, the road is often bustling with vitality, especially during weekends.
zhang xiaoli, head of ibarrel, a restaurant on daxue road, says, "without outdoor seating, our income may decrease by half."
during the 2024 winter season, the outdoor seating areas were equipped with plastic wind shields, with the support of the local government and business operators, to withstand the dropping temperatures. according to the district, sales volumes at the shops along the road increased 24 percent year-on-year, with the number in the coldest month of february surging 38 percent.
outdoor seating has become a popular business model for merchants in shanghai, a city known for its bustling neighborhoods, international community and city-walk routes.
at hengshan fang in xuhui district, more than two-thirds of the stores have outdoor seating areas.
"not just restricted to western restaurants, chinese-style restaurants also set up outdoor seating areas during afternoon tea time due to growing demand," wu hanchun, deputy general manager of shanghai hengfu investment development co, told the shanghai observer while noting many of the customers who prefer outdoor seating areas are foreigners, thanks to the expansion of china's visa-free policy.
tong tianci, head of the restaurant of hengfu, agrees, saying that the outdoor seating area is not only an extension of the business area, but also a "traffic entrance" for small shops. "many customers are attracted to the atmosphere, especially foreign tourists. they seem to have a special preference for outdoor seating. no matter what the weather is like, they are willing to sit outside to enjoy shanghai's street views."
in changning district, the majority of merchants inside the restored columbia circle, a compound once home to us expatriates that is now a multifunctional complex, have offices, stores, restaurants, and cafes.
the manager of columbia circle, who prefers to remain anonymous, says that consumers, especially young people, have an extremely high preference for outdoor seating. "those between 20 and 35, including foreign visitors, select outdoor seating as their top choice. on sunny days, weekends, and during festivals, the outdoor area occupancy rate exceeds 90 percent. people feel compelled to sit outside, even if they have to queue," he says.
"consumers might choose to dine at a particular restaurant due to their appreciation for its outdoor seating environment, or they may be drawn to outdoor areas while strolling through the park," he says.
latest data showed shanghai has standardized 997 designated stalls and set up over 500 special stall areas, covering more than 4,000 stores, most of which sell light meals and coffee.
an exterior view of a dining area on julu road on april 2. gao erqiang/china daily
the booming "outdoor economy" is a rational emerging phenomenon in shanghai, according to experts.
"outdoor economies meet the diverse demands for experiential, social and authentic urban life under the backdrop of consumption," says xie ruoqing, a researcher at the shanghai academy of social sciences.
"local residents' consumption has evolved from merely acquiring goods to pursuing lifestyle experiences, with people's emotional needs for connecting with nature and engaging in interpersonal interactions in the open air being one of them."
consumers dine by a pool at a restaurant in shanghai's columbia circle on march 22. the pool was built in 1927 to a country club. gao erqiang/china daily
in recent years, the shanghai municipal government has issued a series of measures encouraging law-abiding, compliant activities, such as outdoor seating areas and street vendors.
on sept 5, the government released new measures to enhance the "hustle and bustle" of neighborhoods by fine-tuning outdoor seating areas, including increasing their operating time during major holidays and festival events, and adding necessary equipment such as public lighting, toilets and sewage, and garbage disposal.
the city government also encourages local administrators to enact measures tailor-made for their neighborhoods.
daxue road in yangpu district is a frontrunner in this economy. in 2023, the governing body of the wujiaochang area, where the road is located, unveiled rules on the design of outdoor seating areas.
many thoughtful considerations were included: outdoor seating areas should not extend beyond the street lamps to avoid blocking the traffic; dividers between stores cannot be more than 130 centimeters high to avoid feeling confined; rain covers and cables should be inspected regularly to avoid safety issues.
in huangpu district, similar measures will be issued soon, after three years of trial operations.
visitors eat and chat under outdoor sunshade on daxue road in shanghai on april 6. the street is pedestrian-only on weekends and holidays. gao erqiang/china daily
the new measures extend the scope of outdoor display settings from "within the property line" to "exclusive or shared areas of commercial tenants" for the first time, including the roof, achieving a breakthrough expansion of outdoor display space, says xu zhijie, who is in charge of huangpu district's urban management bureau.
in addition, in line with the city urging night-time economic development, the new measures have abolished the fixed time limit for outdoor seating, allowing operators and merchants to appropriately extend and flexibly adjust the operating hours based on actual conditions and local circumstances.
"shanghai's outdoor street economy has improved regulated development, vividly demonstrating that fine-grain governance can not only make street vending a key driver for consumption recovery, but also transform urban vitality into cultural appeal, achieving a dynamic balance between order and vitality," xie adds.
by zheng yiran | china daily
来源：china daily
制作审核：院党委宣传部
（院科研成果传播办公室）
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上观号作者：上海社会科学院
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