The street named after Vietnam’s late renowned musician Trinh Cong Son opened last May and attracted around 60,000 visitors per month initially, but now, the figure has just dropped by half, admitted Nguyen Dinh Khuyen, vice chairman of Tay Ho District People’s Committee.

Food stalls on Trinh Cong Son pedestrian street

Many food stalls such as Phu Thuong sticky rice and lotus sweetened porridge have stopped operation. People in Phu Thuong traditional handicraft village expected to take advantage of the street for their business activities, but it turned out to be the disappointment. At present, just some snail and toy stalls remain open.

Traditional food and Trinh Cong Son’s music were intended to lure visitors. But the music shows only consist of a one-hour performance every Saturday and Sunday.

Khuyen said that it is necessary to have an indoor stage for Trinh’s music.

Trinh Cong Son’s family held a music show to mark the 18th year of his death, drawing a quite large number of people, but this was a rare event.

Some architects suggested that the pedestrian space needed to be larger, with not only fences to separate vehicles.

“We are reviewing the street’s operation after a year of being opened. The street lacks activities and services to attract people. The local authorities invited businesses to invest, but they have hesitated. A company intended to hold a lotus festival here, but then they abandoned the plan after failing to get sponsors,” Khuyen noted

The street, named after Trinh Cong Son (1939-2001), one of the greatest songwriters of modern Vietnam, is designed to be a venue of arts and street food performance.

Along with the street, the pedestrian space also contains part of Alley 431 Au Co street and Alley 612 Lac Long Quan street.

The pedestrian area at weekends around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter in Hanoi is a popular place for residents and visitors alike.