A bar in the northern Finnish city of Oulu has changed its name to COVID-19, polarising locals and regulars alike.
As the bar's owner, Phithat Narongphan, explained to Oulu-based newspaper Kaleva, the name had to be changed as the business became a limited liability company. The venue was previously called 88 Bar.
Following the requirement for a name change, options such as Corona 88' and Hotbar 96 were considered, Narongphan explained. Eventually it was decided to settle on COVID-19, the novel deadly virus that has killed over 770,000 people worldwide.
“This is not meant to attract attention. It reflects our fight against the virus, against this bad time”, Narongphan told Kaleva. “COVID-19 will certainly stay in our lives for many more years to come”.
While the name has been approved by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office, it left the public deeply divided. Narongphan explained that the new name has received some positive, but mostly negative, feedback. Still, the owner is unperturbed.
“The name is just a name”, Narongphan said. “Probably 90 percent don’t like it, but I do”.
In a bitter twist of irony, the bar is located next to a gravestone retailer.
On Twitter, the name change has been described as “either the smartest or the stupidest business decision ever”.
This is either the smartest or stupidest business decision ever.
— Eero Kivistö 🇫🇮🇭🇰😷 #StandwithHK (@HelvetinPastori) August 15, 2020
Oulu bar changes name to Covid-19 https://t.co/JwiIYjwNTY
Yikes what were they thinking…. Bar in Oulu renamed 'Covid-19' https://t.co/xk2rzagcbW
— Juho Tunkelo (@juhotunkelo) August 15, 2020
Finland has been relatively mildly hit by the coronavirus so far, seeing some 7,700 Cases and 333 fatalities.
Worldwide, the virus has infected nearly 21.5 million people.
