All 1,080 businesses in Shanghai's subway stations were closed down yesterday in the interests of public security during the Olympic Games.

Food, garment, electronic product and newspaper stores and stands in 70 of the city's 164 metro stations had cleared their displays and shut down by midnight, sealing their doors with strips of paper stating the date of closing.

Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, operator of Shanghai's metro system, informed businesses within the station and exiting halls only last week of the temporary closure.

They have been holding grand 'Olympics clearance sales' since last weekend.

Suspension of business will last one month. 'The company made this decision to meet the government's stepped-up security efforts,' Huang Gang, a Shentong official said.

But shopping malls connecting stations, notably at People's Square and Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, are safe and will operate as usual.

No compensation will be paid for the suspension, Huang said. 'Most businesses understand and have cooperated,' he said.

The lease contract the company has with stores states that it has the right to suspend business on certain occasions, he said.

The city has stepped up its public security efforts as the Games approach.

About 1,600 buses on routes past Shanghai Stadium, where most of the soccer matches are to be held, were equipped video cameras on Monday.

(China Daily August 6, 2008)