Barbecue or bust

As summer heats up, restaurants in the capital struggle with the ban on outdoor grilling. Ye Jun reports.

A cold beer with freshly prepared barbecue is ideal for summer. But this year, it will be harder for people in Beijing to find an open-air kebab stand than in the past. The municipal government has banned open-air BBQ since 2000, but this year the city's management has strengthened enforcement as Beijing's charcoal burning is believed to contribute heavily to the rise in PM2.5 air pollution.

The ban states that foods served outdoors should be prepared indoors, with a fine for violators up to 20,000 yuan ($3,220).