Popular noodle shop stays in business

The Guangzhou noodle shop featured in a blockbuster TV series about Chinese food won't have to close its doors after a huge rent increase.

The landlord last month decided to double the restaurant's rent after it became a culinary attraction.

But after local government officials mediated, the restaurant's owner signed a new one-year lease with the landlord on June 14. The restaurant will be able to stay in the same location after the owner and the landlord reached a compromise.

The new rent is 13,980 yuan a month ($2,208) - 4,120 yuan higher than the old rent - but also much less than the 1,8000 yuan that the landlord asked for a month ago.

"It will be difficult to make ends meet and I expect no more than a meager profit. But it's good that the lease will only last only one year. I can prepare for the relocation during the coming year so that I won't need to suspend business before moving to a new place," Li Shilin, the 59-year-old owner said.

Li had found a possible new location 200 meters away from his restaurant. That location is 10 square meters smaller, but the rent would only be 10,000 yuan a month. Li had planned to close the restaurant next week and reopen it at the new location around July 20.

But he had to postpone the plan after news of the imminent closure went viral on the Internet. Guangzhou residents have been flocking to the restaurant and netizens all over the country appealed for help to support small restaurants selling traditional local food which are struggling with rent hikes.

"It has become a habit for residents in the neighborhood to come to my restaurant for a bowl of noodles every day. I don't want to keep them waiting for a month to see my restaurant reopened elsewhere," said Li. "The public also wants my restaurant to stay where it is now. I don't want to disappoint them."

Li is grateful for the public support.

"I will replace the notice of closure with a new one announcing the news of the renewed lease later today," Li said.

"I can foresee a drop in business after the restaurant is free from this crisis but it doesn't matter. I didn't hype up the crisis to attract people to my restaurant," he added.

Media reports and public opinion caught the local government's attention.

Chai Yanyang, an official from the administrative office of the community where Li's restaurant is located, worked hard to mediate the talks between Li and his landlord.

"The landlord has rented the store to Li since 2004 and he actually hopes to carry on. But he was a bit upset and angry when the public said harsh words about him and the negotiation was thus locked in a stalemate," Chai said.

She arranged a meeting between Li and the landlord on June 13 but the two sides failed to reach an agreement that day.

Chai sees the new contract as a win-win situation.

"Li would need time to settle down on the new location and make arrangements and the landlord wouldn't find a tenant quickly if Li stopped renting the store," said Chai.

The official from the administrative office of the Hualin community in the Liwan district said that the local government hopes to keep the small restaurants offering traditional local food running.

"Liwan district is known as the paradise of Guangdong cuisine, and we will work hard to preserve those characteristics," Chai said.