10yuanhostelsshutdown

SIXTEEN hostels in Bagualing were closed in the weekend as Futian District officials vowed to drive all hostels charging 10 yuan (US$1.2) a night out of the area.

Neighboring the city"s job market, Bagualing had the city"s highest concentration of small taverns where one night"s stay cost only 10 yuan per person, which was affordable and attractive for many out-of-town jobseekers.

There were 39 such hostels in Bagualing before the campaign was launched but there were more than 100 such hostels around the area in the peak.

Authorities said the 10-yuan hostels had hidden fire, security and hygiene traps and there had been about 250 law-breaking cases in such places since last year.

The campaign followed Vice Mayor Lu Ruifeng"s instructions late June that all the 39 10-yuan hostels should be renovated within one month.

Ten such taverns were shut down in June and 16 were shut down last weekend when their licenses expired. Another 13 hostels are still operating.

All the hostels in Bagualing had their structures and services changed without approval, so they were all illegal, said Zhang Litong, the Futian District chief.

The 13 hostels still in operation have been requested to apply for the service change and to cancel the 10-yuan service. They will also be closed if their applications are not approved.

Quite a number of successful people in Shenzhen had stayed in such hostels when first coming to the city, leaving them with both painful and sweet memories.