Ban on neighbourhood bars could be the death knell of St Petersburg’s unique nightlife

Small bars and cafes still struggling with the coronavirus pandemic hit with news they will have to close by January

St Petersburg’s I Believe bar is to be forced to close in January 2021 under an obscure anti-alcohol law (I Believe)

For over a decade, Dmitry Karchevsky and his partners lived according to their bar’s name: “I Believe”.

“Believing in all kinds of rubbish” was what made their “dream” possible, he says – making money while creating a cosy, affordable, British-style local everyone would enjoy hanging out in.