King of Kings, the over 30-year-old Chinese restaurant in Fortitude Valley, has been closed to diners since February. Loyal patrons, however, have no reason to worry amid concerns over coronavirus.
The owners of the Chinese-Australian family eatery has set the record straight in a social media post. They announced that shutdown is due to the restaurant’s major renovations and not the speculated COVID-19 disease.
King of Kings will reopen sometime in May. The owners also placed a sign on its entrance to let their customers know that it will be business as usual once the renovations are done.
Major news outlets reported that the closure was due to the coronavirus crisis after Kings of Kings’ phone lines and email access were disconnected in mid-February.
It comes as many of Brisbane’s Chinese restaurants are reportedly experiencing a significant drop in business. The Chinese restaurant communities across Australia have also been reeling from the health scare.
Australia China Business Council head Helen Sawczak appealed to the public amidst the backlash affecting Chinese businesses, especially those in operation in Australia for many decades. She told media outlets that there are millions of Australian citizens with Chinese heritage who have no contact with the virus and those of Chinese ethnicity should not be the target.
Ms Sawczak also said that coronavirus is not a Chinese virus but a global humanitarian crisis. She encouraged the public to still enjoy their Chinese food and “not add to the hysteria.”