(Bloomberg) — Most evenings, Mohamed Ismail sat in his local ‘ahwa, one of the small, unpretentious cafes that are a cornerstone of Cairo’s social life. He smoked hookah and played chess with friends often until 2 or even 3 in the morning, with the streets of Egypt’s capital still busy with crowds of shoppers, snacks and chatter.
Then came the Iran War. After energy prices soared, businesses were forced to close early to limit electricity consumption, dimming the lights of Cairo’s famous nighttime activity. When the authorities announced on Sunday that the month-long measures were being relaxed, Ismail rejoiced.
“May God preserve this blessing and may the government not change its mind and go back to an early closing time again,” said the 78-year-old retiree, sitting in an ‘ahwa, enjoying tea with fresh mint and munching on roasted seeds. “It was a difficult, depressing time.
The government’s switch-off and switch-off ban forced residents of the 1,000-year-old metropolis to squeeze in social life after work, initially until 9pm and then until 11pm. While it may have seemed too late to call it a day in the US or Europe, it turned Cairenes’ lives upside down and cast a dark, eerie calm over the Middle East and Africa’s largest city.
With prices still high in the import-dependent country, Egypt was expected to expand its efforts to reduce energy consumption in the hospitality industry.
But the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement that shops would be allowed to close as usual from the end of this week. Local television later reported that cafes and restaurants would now have to close at 1am instead of 11pm. Some used to be open 24/7.
In places like Korba, a square in eastern Cairo whose distinctive cream-colored buildings date from the early 20th century, a vibrant middle-class area known for its gold shops has turned into a ghost town. The chic cafes, family-owned clothing stores and shawarma shops lining the Art Deco arcades had to close their shutters and turn off their lights.
Less than an hour after the government’s decision was announced, some Egyptians celebrated outside one of the oldest ‘ahwas in the area. More than two dozen young men danced and clapped their hands. Others sang and beat small hand drums.
“We are celebrating our freedom,” said Mostafa Khalil, 20, a university student. “Egyptians cannot live without nightlife. We felt like we were in a prison.”
The sprawling city of about 20 million people is usually a busy, chaotic place, whose thundering freeways, boisterous markets and neon-lit party boats blaring music on the Nile make it an assault on the senses. Since late March, however, street lights have been dimmed or turned off, including on boulevards near the landmark Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum.
Ahmed Abbas, a 30-year-old resident of Cairo, said the early closure hit him hard. Like Ismail, he sat in the ‘ahwa until the wee hours with friends. “Cairo used to be the city that never sleeps,” he lamented before Sunday’s announcement. “I took it for granted.
Although restaurants could still deliver, they cooked behind darkened storefronts. The sparse lighting on the roads came from pharmacies and small kiosks, 24-hour staples in Cairo, that sell packaged snacks, drinks and cigarettes. They were mostly allowed to stay open. Other businesses violating the new regulations faced fines of up to 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($965).
The government said the measures were temporary and a better solution than repeating the gradual blackouts Cairo experienced several years ago as Egypt grappled with an economic crisis sparked in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Authorities said the goal was also to reduce fuel consumption so that people shopped and dined out less by car.
Mina Youssef, a 46-year-old engineer, said the end of restrictions comes at the right time. “We start our lives after 9 p.m., especially now that summer is coming,” he said as he and his wife sipped an avocado nut honey smoothie at a cafe on Sunday. “Egyptians like to stay up late, have a life after work and spend time with each other.”
At least Cairo has adapted. One waiter, named Hamada, said the small cafe where he works had a normal routine, albeit discreetly. “We leave the lights off and make tea and coffee using the light from our mobile phones,” he said. “We can’t serve fresh juices though – the blender is too loud.”
Other Cairenes changed their days, getting up and finishing work earlier to have time to hang out, shop and eat before everything closed. Some combine both. On a recent Tuesday at noon, Rasha Ahmed sat in a French cafe in Citystars, one of Egypt’s oldest and still most beautiful large shopping malls, with two friends. Everyone was tapping away on their laptops as they worked remotely.
“We decided to spend time here,” said Ahmed, who works in the service industry. “We work from the cafe in the morning, then have dinner and shop when we’re done.”
The closing time did not apply everywhere. Areas considered to attract tourists – Egypt’s main foreign currency earners – were officially exempted. Visit Mamsha Ahl Misr, a ticketed promenade on the east bank of the Nile, and you could almost be in another country.
Lights flickered and Arabic pop music wafted through the air as crowds strolled along an upscale stretch of the waterfront promenade lined with Western-style cafes, nightclubs and stalls selling fast food and trinkets. The noise didn’t stop until 2 am
However, some tourists were affected. Arab visitors from the Persian Gulf have long been a mainstay in Cairo, especially in spring and summer. Saudi Arabian Mohamed, who was shopping with his wife, praised the Egyptian government’s decision to ease restrictions.
The couple visit Cairo every summer with family and friends to escape the heat of the kingdom. Muhammad’s wife called friends and parents to let them know that the situation was returning to normal. They told her they would make a reservation and come next week, she said.
“One of the best things about Egypt is that you can shop at 12 o’clock, eat at 3 o’clock in the morning – you can have fun whenever you want,” said Mohamed. “The streets have been really depressed for the past month.
While many Cairenes lamented the loss of nightlife, the new working hours brought unexpected relief to some employees. Siham, who works in a clothes shop, said the initial closing time of 9pm meant she could go home early and enjoy her evenings.
“In the past month, I’ve learned the importance of life and fun after work,” said Siham, who asked only to be identified by her first name to protect her privacy. “I wish it could last forever.”
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