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Since the Freedom/Freelance bar closed down in Sihanoukville ,there isn't really anywhere for the poor freelance girls to go to ply their trade. I don't get down to the beach much, but last time I took a tour of it, there were very few in the freelance trade and Victory Hill is just grim. You would think some smart bar owner would put a sign out front of his bar in English and Khmer, " 8:30pm to 10:30pm first draft beer free to girls," and hand out flyers in English and Khmer. You bring in the girls (to play pool of course) and the single guys follow. Guess no bar owner here did college as a business major. It would seem like a gold mine waiting to happen. Charley Harper's bar would be ideal, but that's a whole other story/tread.

personally i dont think the way things are going anyone wants to say they are a freelancers bar anymore and limit their customer base to POOR unemployable freelancers and sexpats

People dont NEED to drink ( well most ) , they need to eat

i know of a fair few girls that used to freelance on the beach now work in the bars on the square now theres a lot more bars there, i actually know one bar owner (khmer) he often goes down the beach to "recruit" girls to work in his bar

Jamie_Lambo wrote:i know of a fair few girls that used to freelance on the beach now work in the bars on the square now theres a lot more bars there, i actually know one bar owner (khmer) he often goes down the beach to "recruit" girls to work in his bar

By the square do you mean the Arcade? That row of girly bars that runs down one road just up from the night market? Is it finally getting business after all these years? The landlord will be disappointed as he can't put his rent up anymore surely. And he won't have the yearly turnover of wide-eyed bar owners that he used to have.

juansweetpotato wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote:i know of a fair few girls that used to freelance on the beach now work in the bars on the square now theres a lot more bars there, i actually know one bar owner (khmer) he often goes down the beach to "recruit" girls to work in his bar

By the square do you mean the Arcade? That row of girly bars that runs down one road just up from the night market? Is it finally getting business after all these years? The landlord will be disappointed as he can't put his rent up anymore surely. And he won't have the yearly turnover of wide-eyed bar owners that he used to have.

ive never even heard of the Arcade? are you refering to KTV street? if you carry on from the night market and it has all the KTV's down that loops round and comes back out round to the main street at 333KTV??

or near by Theres the old Golden Lion Plaza which is now called Pubstreet
and theres the Square which is just around the corner from the Golden Lions,

Pubstreet in the high season was a lot busier than normal and there were a larger number of girls working in the bars
the Square had a big extension on the front adding an apparent 11 more bars to the 35? that was already there (im not sure the exact numbers)
but all the bars on the square are now occupied (last year it was only about 50%) (i got told the rent is very cheap on the square now so that might be why) great atmosphere down there now, lots of people lots of girls, you almost feel like youre in Thailand,
although now its low season it has quietened down a bit
victory hill has been pretty quiet all season

Jamie_Lambo wrote:

juansweetpotato wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote:i know of a fair few girls that used to freelance on the beach now work in the bars on the square now theres a lot more bars there, i actually know one bar owner (khmer) he often goes down the beach to "recruit" girls to work in his bar

By the square do you mean the Arcade? That row of girly bars that runs down one road just up from the night market? Is it finally getting business after all these years? The landlord will be disappointed as he can't put his rent up anymore surely. And he won't have the yearly turnover of wide-eyed bar owners that he used to have.

ive never even heard of the Arcade? are you refering to KTV street? if you carry on from the night market and it has all the KTV's down that loops round and comes back out round to the main street at 333KTV??

or near by Theres the old Golden Lion Plaza which is now called Pubstreet
and theres the Square which is just around the corner from the Golden Lions,

Pubstreet in the high season was a lot busier than normal and there were a larger number of girls working in the bars
the Square had a big extension on the front adding an apparent 11 more bars to the 35? that was already there (im not sure the exact numbers)
but all the bars on the square are now occupied (last year it was only about 50%) (i got told the rent is very cheap on the square now so that might be why) great atmosphere down there now, lots of people lots of girls, you almost feel like youre in Thailand,
although now its low season it has quietened down a bit
victory hill has been pretty quiet all season

Yeah https://www.google.com.kh/maps/@10.6086 ... 265279,17z Golden Lion Plaza. I'm guesing the square is opposite the night food market?
It's more of a triangle isn't it?

They "work" in the square because there is no bar for them to hang out at and ply their trade. A smart bar owner would offer them a free beer (8pm-10:30pm/11:00pm) which gives them a reason to hang out and play pool. Simple first year business 101, you attract women, the men with the money follow. When your making money who cares if someone says you are a "freelance" bar? So many bars here change hands because owners who have never been in the service trade (restaurants, bars, etc.) Look how long the Walkabout was open in PP. Known freelance bar and a constant supply of customers. As I said, a golden opportunity for a smart bar owner. First you get a good location (Charley Harper's corner would be the gold standard), then you drop the one free beer/freelance bombshell. With freelance you don't have to pay many girls to work there and/or get caught by the police collecting bar fines. Your out of the loop and just selling beer/alcohol/food, which you have a license for. What could be simpler? A money machine waiting to happen.

BTW/ Was walking through the "square" recently and it was dead. (Even in high season it seemed dead.) Not much money being made there. Girls, rent, electricity still have to be paid even if there are no customers. It seems that they are following the Khmer business plan. Have the same product and in the same place as a whole bunch of other like business's.(and make very little money, go broke.) You own a business, you make it a destination, not a place to walk through. Like in PP "lets go over to the Walkabout and see whats going on." Look at how many bars opened up in that area to get the runoff from the Walkabout.

juansweetpotato wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote:

juansweetpotato wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote:i know of a fair few girls that used to freelance on the beach now work in the bars on the square now theres a lot more bars there, i actually know one bar owner (khmer) he often goes down the beach to "recruit" girls to work in his bar

By the square do you mean the Arcade? That row of girly bars that runs down one road just up from the night market? Is it finally getting business after all these years? The landlord will be disappointed as he can't put his rent up anymore surely. And he won't have the yearly turnover of wide-eyed bar owners that he used to have.

ive never even heard of the Arcade? are you refering to KTV street? if you carry on from the night market and it has all the KTV's down that loops round and comes back out round to the main street at 333KTV??

or near by Theres the old Golden Lion Plaza which is now called Pubstreet
and theres the Square which is just around the corner from the Golden Lions,

Pubstreet in the high season was a lot busier than normal and there were a larger number of girls working in the bars
the Square had a big extension on the front adding an apparent 11 more bars to the 35? that was already there (im not sure the exact numbers)
but all the bars on the square are now occupied (last year it was only about 50%) (i got told the rent is very cheap on the square now so that might be why) great atmosphere down there now, lots of people lots of girls, you almost feel like youre in Thailand,
although now its low season it has quietened down a bit
victory hill has been pretty quiet all season

Yeah https://www.google.com.kh/maps/@10.6086 ... 265279,17z Golden Lion Plaza. I'm guesing the square is opposite the night food market?
It's more of a triangle isn't it?

the square is here https://www.google.com.kh/maps/@10.6092 ... a=!3m1!1e3 (there area around the falsly labeled zana guesthouse)

its a square but this satellite picture is 2016 and shows the triangle extension that i mentioned on the front, the street view picture is from 2 years ago https://www.google.com.kh/maps/@10.6093 ... 312!8i6656 and you can see that big space at the front all has new bars on it also, ill go out and take some pictures tonight if i remember

Sailorman wrote:They "work" in the square because there is no bar for them to hang out at and ply their trade. A smart bar owner would offer them a free beer (8pm-10:30pm/11:00pm) which gives them a reason to hang out and play pool. Simple first year business 101, you attract women, the men with the money follow. When your making money who cares if someone says you are a "freelance" bar? So many bars here change hands because owners who have never been in the service trade (restaurants, bars, etc.) Look how long the Walkabout was open in PP. Known freelance bar and a constant supply of customers. As I said, a golden opportunity for a smart bar owner. First you get a good location (Charley Harper's corner would be the gold standard), then you drop the one free beer/freelance bombshell. With freelance you don't have to pay many girls to work there and/or get caught by the police collecting bar fines. Your out of the loop and just selling beer/alcohol/food, which you have a license for. What could be simpler? A money machine waiting to happen.

BTW/ Was walking through the "square" recently and it was dead. (Even in high season it seemed dead.) Not much money being made there. Girls, rent, electricity still have to be paid even if there are no customers. It seems that they are following the Khmer business plan. Have the same product and in the same place as a whole bunch of other like business's.(and make very little money, go broke.) You own a business, you make it a destination, not a place to walk through. Like in PP "lets go over to the Walkabout and see whats going on." Look at how many bars opened up in that area to get the runoff from the Walkabout.

i think CH is a little out the way now, it would be fine for expats and the regular tourists but you wouldnt get any walking traffic

what time was you walking through the square in high season and it was dead? come 11-12 is when it normally starts getting going, considering how many new bars have opened this season and how dead it was last year even though it only half the amount of bars open, its been great this year

in SHV its all about going at the right times i guess, the beach gets a fair few freelancers early doors 9-10pm who will get picked up, then it will gradually get quieter,
then when the square closes around 2-3am, victory hill not much later, a lot of the girls head down to the beach,
so if anyones after freelancers the beach between 9-10pm then again 2-4am would be your best bet,
some girls who work the bars tend to head to Taboo after they finish as well so thats another spot people could try.

I want to know what college Sailorman attended. Apparently it was full of prostitutes drinking free beer!