This week in Shanghaiist
CNNGo went around Shanghai's bars and clubs recently in a confusing article about air quality. Confusing namely because they said they're testing for the best and worst, but only six bars/clubs make the story and, really, the only one that got lambasted was The Shelter, which had a ppm ([thousand] parts per million of criteria pollutants) of 350. Regular air quality in Shanghai is 230 and the U.S. FDA says 150 is in the high end of the safe zone. Because we needed an air quality meter to tell us that it hurts to breathe in The Shelter. Anyway, apparently one of the best places to go for a breath of fresh air is Sin. But while your lungs will feel clean, can all the ventilation there stop your soul from feeling dirty?
Best and worst bars/clubs for air quality in Shanghai
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Hello,
We, aswell as everyone else im sure, are aware of the ventilation issues in The Shelter. As stated in the CNN article we have already prepared a new ventilation system to be installed in The Shelter. We were planning on installing this when we close in December for renovations, but actually it will not take as long as we expected to install so the new system will be installed next week. We have been trying our best to improve the air quality since we opened (the big things that look like air conditioners are actually air filters) but its a tough and expensive process. We asure you that the new ventilation system will make a big difference.
Regards,
The Shelter
We would also like to point out that the 'official reaction' on the CNN article was not an official reaction to the test as we were never told that the reporter was testing the air quality and we never saw any results. We were contacted in advance by the reporter who told us that he was coming to shelter review the venue and asked for free entry. He then sent an mail after the 'review' to say that he enjoyed the music and the crowd, but thought the air quality was bad and if we had any comments on this. It was only after we contacted CNN go about the free entry request that we found out that it he was testing the air quality. We would have been more than happy to let him test the air in the shelter and would have been interested in seeing the actual results, as we know this is a big issue for us. CNNgo are aware of this unprofessional approach by the reporter and have appologised sincerely.
They should let you know they're testing your air quality before they actually do it, is what you're saying????
You must be fucking kidding.
I just reread this. CNN actually apologized for a reporter coming into your bar and testing the air quality? Wow, no wonder we don't get any hard hitting investigative reports from them - they don't even have the balls to shrug and say "so what?" to a small underground bar.
I'd love to know if CNNGo really apologised.
Shanghaiist should find out ;-)
Hi Quantimcooney,
Sorry for the misunderstanding, CNNgo appologised for the reported asking for free entry into the club and stating he was writing a review of the venue, not for testing the air.
Regards
The Shelter
Hi vladivostok,
Thank you for your response. I was not stating that they 'should' have told us that they were testing, all i said that we would have been happy to let them test and would have liked to have seen the results. I was mainly pointing out is that the CNNgo article states that we made an 'offical reaction' to the results, when we never atually saw the results or knew about the testing and the quote they took was in regards to a fake review of the venue. I agree that this type of research should probably be kept secret whilst testing as people may try to sway the article of bribe the reporter to write a more favourable article (hense why i also pointed out that he asked for free entry to review the venue. If he was actually reviewing the venue this would have been even more unprofessional as, if we wanted, we could have provided him with free drinks, free entry, etc, to ensure he had a good night and wrote a good review). We applogise for the misunderstanding the post may have caused
Regards,
The Shelter
Also, please note that CNNgo were unaware of the reporters approach until we made it aware to them. This is the fault of the reporter and not CNNgo.
Nice start in acknowledging that there is a problem and stating what you are doing to try to fix it.
After that, nice job of acting like a victim. You know (and acknowledged above) that there is a problem. The journalist may not have acted professionally and was slightly unethical in requesting free entry under a false pretense, but taking the measurement without telling you is probably the best strategy. That way he won't be rebuffed leaving us without his numerical data that back up what everyone already knows.
If you would have liked to see the results, hire a company that specializes in air quality and get your own data. He's not working on a project for you. He's writing a (blazingly obvious) article.
Congratulations on getting an apology, but as a reader of the article I'm not too upset about your hurt feelings.
Hi bprichard,
Thank you for your response and understanding. What i was mainly trying to point out is that the CNNgo article states that we made an offical reaction to the results, when we never atually saw the results or knew about the testing and the quote they took was in regards to a fake review of the venue.
Regards,
The Shelter
When a journalist reviews a bar, they could be looking into anything and everything: drinks, service, music, etc.
In this case, they were looking into your air quality.
This was NOT a "fake review", as you put it.
So quit your lame excuses. It makes me NOT wanna go back there again.
Hi Vladivostok,
Sorry for the misunderstanding. Te reporter told us he was doing a review of The Shelter (as in a review of the venue as a whole). I appologise for using the phrase 'fake review', maybe this is incorrect. I am not making an excuse for anything. We are aware of the air quality issue, and have been for some time, and we are ding hat we can to improve. Nowhere have we made any excuse for the poor air quality.
Regards,
The Shelter
I don't like the reasonable tone you're taking with me, The Shelter. When I go out drinking, I want to go a lung-choking drug pit run by ruthless badasses who don't give a shit about my bitch-ass opinion.
You've lost a customer.
Hi bpritchard,
Thanks for your reply. We applogise for being too reasonable with you. We will try our best in the future to care less about you and your opinion :) hahaha
Regards,
The Shelter
Excellent, caring less about me and my opinion will move you more in line with my experience in and expectations of the world
Wow, I didn't know Shelter management cared that much about the air quality - figured all the smokiness was just part of its appeal.
Hah, I thought the Shelter didn't care either. I remember reading a Cityweekend or That's Shanghai interview with the owner in late spring/early summer. I recall the interviewer noting the terrible air quality, and asking the owner if he was planning on doing anything about it. He basically said that the air isn't quality wasn't that bad, and then he named a club whose quality he thought was worse....
To hell with a new ventilation, I think best air could be got in Shelter if all expats kindly took a shower before sneak in.