China City Restaurant - Official Opening Party

The Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Jean Hornby performing the ribbon cutting ceremony

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Following the informal opening of the new Chinese restaurant, China City, Nelson Street on Monday 12 March - chosen as one of the luckiest days in the Chinese calendar - the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Jean Hornby performed the formal opening ceremony on Tuesday 20 March accompanied by her Consort Barrie Hornby and Mr Keeyou Chee and Mrs Susan Chee, the proprietors of the China City Restaurant.

Other distinguished guests at the ribbon cutting ceremony inlcuded:

• Mr Shutong Wang - the Deputy Consul General of People's Republic of China in Manchester
• Mr Charles Chan - the Lifetime Honorary President of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM)
• Mrs Gong - Wife of the Consul General of People's Republic of China in Manchester
• Mrs Dorothy Yip - Proprietor of Chi Yip Group Ltd, Middleton
• Mrs Linda Xu - Manager of Bank of China
• Mr Ming Lee - Principal of Lee Architects Ltd
• Mr L N Wong - President of Ku Lunn Shar Chinese Sunday School
• Mr Kum Tong Li - Treasurer of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM)
• Mr Alex Lau - Proprietor of United Bic Travel Agent

Grand Master Chu led a team of drummers and Dragon dancers from the Manchester based Master Chu’s Dragon and Lion Dancing Club for a Lion Dance to ensure no evil spirits remain and China City and its customers will prosper.

Interior Designer of restaurant Miss Appel Yau (Appel is the Dutch spelling of 'apple' in English) of North Sea Enterprise in Amsterdam flew in to be at opening.

Miss Yau revealed that when she first set foot in the premises, a former night club, it was a one massive dark cave with extremely high ceiling painted with pop stars in graffiti style. After talking to Mr and Mrs Chee to find out their preferences and budget, Miss Yau planned to give a total make-over to the once popular disco. She turned to one of the most prosperous and glamorous period of China - the Tang dynasty (618AD-907AD). 

Miss Yau said: "The aesthetic view and fashion were strongly influenced by the ample supply of food, long period of peace and well advanced transport system both by road and water. As reflected by the literature records from the Tang Dynasty, being plump was the trend as drawings were done with roundly curved lines and even animals were given a out of proportion big and round body with tiny head and legs. Round/circle are symbols of wealth, perfection and happiness.

"Instead of paintings, I used plaques on the walls of China City Restaurant; the plaques were not mass production tiles but direct reproductions taken from the frescoes and embossments of the Tang Dynasty specially produced for the project.

The restaurant is without a single picture and not a trace of the traditional Chinese colour of red and gold, prompting the Mayor Jean Hornby to say that "China City is the  most relaxing and the most inviting Chinese restaurant" she and her husband Barrie have visited.

Entertainment was provided by Frank Sinatra tribute Johnathan Swift, better known locally as Councillor Keith Swift.

The 'Official' Opening Party finished at 6.00pm but clearly enjoying themselves, many guests stayed much longer.

Proprietor Mr Keeyou Chee said: "If you would like to wine and dine like a king, book the VIP room on the second floor, it has the best view of the restaurant."