I cruised by Pig and Whistle in Hsinchu last night, only to find it closed and littered with trash on the front patio.
I went to Simon Pub and they confirmed that Pig and Whistle closed up shop about 5 days ago. They were unsure why it closed or when it would reopen.
Another 2009 blow to the Hsinchu Pig bar scene. Flying Pig also closed it’s doors around 6 months ago or so.
Anyone have any info in this? Any other Hsinchu bars that might have some inkling of fun?
Swine flue.
:roflmao:
As a former regular at the Pig & Whistle, I knew the Pig closed several months ago. However, I wasn’t aware that the Flying Pig had also closed. I was just there about 6 months ago (maybe the day before they closed). If in fact the Flying Pig has closed, then there are officially no more western pubs/bars in Hsinchu. There used to the two Pig pubs, plus the Blue Note, the Alamo, B-52’s, and an assortment of very small western teacher hangouts that, although not having a dance floor, played western rock music and western menu’s and Taiwanese chicks practising their English used to frequent. They’re all gone now. Foreigners living in Hsinchu have two choices: move to Taipei/Taichung/Kaohsiung. Or go to those cities on the weekends. Well, there IS a third option: spend your weekends on the internet, browsing through forumosa and replying to topics, while lamenting how Hsinchu used to be a rocking place and now sucks. BTW, the Pig and Whistle in Kaohsuing also closed last month. The franchise seems to be going under island-wide. Taipei will always be Taipei as far as clubs and pubs but it seems that south of Taipei, the western bar/pub scene is in decline…not sure why. Less foreigners, economy…all the above. It just seem nightlife is in decline south of Taipei for whatever reason.
Maybe a good chance for a few furriners to open one?
Why does this not surprise me. I was in The Pig in Kaoshiung last month, it was as dead as a dodo. Locals told me because, simply, it was too expensive. There are also lots of other much cheaper bars nearby.
I was also working in Hsinchu and The Pig there was again too expensive. The Taiwanese engineers I worked with, all on very high salaries, said that although they liked the pub but they would only go there on special occassions for this reason. Food wise, there are many far better and cheaper restaurants there.
These are big pubs with huge overheads, The Shannon another one that bit the dust. The Guinness was cheaper in Bono’s hotel in Dublin than there!
There is a warning here, the market can only stand so much rampant profiteering. Besides the locals will sit for hours nursing a soft drink.
[quote=“WolvesMon”]Locals told me because, simply, it was too expensive. There are also lots of other much cheaper bars nearby.
The Taiwanese engineers I worked with, all on very high salaries, said that although they liked the pub but they would only go there on special occassions for this reason.
These are big pubs with huge overheads
There is a warning here, the market can only stand so much rampant profiteering.
Besides the locals will sit for hours nursing a soft drink.[/quote]
Sorry but my head is swirling a la Möbius. What is your point?
Summary?: 7/11 is next door and these other venues have high overheads and while the customers make a lot of money they sit there all night with a single $100NT cola and it is the fault of the establishment that they went out of business because the bar/restaurant charged too much for a beer in order to make a profit?
Is that what you mean?
This has been my impression too. Western pubs have been dying at an alarming rate, it’s simply lack of high paid foreigners in Taiwan as they have moved to Taiwan or back home in most cases. The locals went there too probably when there was a good mix and athmosphere in these places. Western rock and live music has also gone down big time, a lot of the younger crowd were more into Japanese and Mandopop or World Music (but not all of course). I saw Kaoshiung still has a few around the Ai river but Hsinchu is certainly a lot deader than it used to be. Even some stalwart pubs in Taichung like the Frog seem to be quiet as hell when I pass. I don’t actually go into a lot of pubs because they are TOO quiet…just no point when there is no atmosphere in them.
The economy south of Taipei has been particularly badly hit these last few years but that still wouldn’t account as to why Hsinchu’s almost all shut down, that is the migration of foreign professionals and rep. offices to China and the lack of major infrastructure projects for engineers to work on here.
Update: The pig bar in the OP is officially demolished now.
Underground Disco (lane off Zhongzheng Rd near Mosburger) seems to be worth exploring.
Still open to other recommendations. Not looking for a place like “Red” or the other small pubs off Minzu Rd. Looking for a place to go on a bender every now and then, with good drinks, good music, and hot ladies. Currently I’m convinced Taipei is the nearest place for the like…
Hallo,
I know I asked a similar question before regarding the B-52. Now where are the former laobans of the old B-52? Sidney and Jackey?
I heard or read Jackey has a place called “Pumpkin” but I can’t find anything on the net about it.
Has Sidney opened a new place? That great music can’t just be forgotten…
Looking forward to hear from ya.
Norbert