Does Beijing need another Irish bar? Somebody obviously thinks so - the guys behind the Paradise CVS liquor store/late-night hangout have taken over the spot that most recently housed the utterly rubbish Swensen's/Prima Taste, and are reworking the space into two venues.

One will be a 24-hour chuan'r joint; the other an "Irish" bar which Beijing Boyce reckons is going to be called "The James Joyce." Boyce also reckons the bar will be a 24-hour affair, which would set it up as a rival to both The Den and Paddy O'Shea's. I can see it getting some foot traffic from people who live around Xingfu Ercun and - if it is indeed open around-the-clock - some of the Paradise CVS crowd, but unless the place is very impressive I doubt it can really be much of a threat to either Paddy's or The Den. Still, looking forward to seeing what they do. Below is a photo I took the other day - you can see the space is quite far on in terms of decor. Expect an opening sometime in the next two to three weeks. 

While football fans recover from a week of tussling for places in Euro 2012, those funny people who prefer games with oval balls are ironing their best jerseys and starting to tremble with excitement. The Rugby World Cup starts tomorrow (Sep 9) and unfolds over the next five weeks. That's even longer than the real World Cup. This "feast of rugby," as I'm sure enthusiasts will describe it, will fill Beijing bars with both genuine rugby fans and shamelessly jingoistic types relishing the latest opportunity to wave a flag and sing their national anthem in public. For a full rundown of where to watch the action, read my colleague's excellent roundup here.

Haze is settling in at Guanghualu Soho - if you went to the opening party, leave a comment to let us know what you thought. Thursday is gay night, with resident DJs including Yang Bing, Thomas Gaestadius and Jiong Jiong playing out Friday and Saturday nights. Free entry for all of those. They've also confirmed Canadian house sqauad Azari & III will be playing the basement on October 3.

With a distinct chill in the air today, The Beach must be counting down the days until they close up again for the winter. However, you'll get a few more nights out on the rooftop at least, with a Cuban-themed "Havanizacion" party this Friday.

Oshi and Tnem play Earl Bar this Saturday (free, 10pm), with a guest set from Guangzhou drum & bass queen JCC. The forensic science student-turned-DJ did a classic interview with us last year - check it out here.

At Tango this Saturday, Dio, Ouyang, Patrick Yu and Bitesize Buddha play "Teachers' Night," bringing their various electronic tricks to a club that is fast revitalizing itself as a relevant player on the local scene. Entry is RMB 50.

With the holiday weekend, Lantern has an extra night on Sunday. Weng Weng plays on Friday night, Dave K is up from Shanghai on Saturday, and Dio plays on Sunday. All nights are free. Please note also that Lantern is usually only open on Thursday to Saturday nights - it was previously reported as also being open on Wednesdays.

DJ Wordy takes Hot Pot outside this weekend, with the party moving temporarily to 2 Kolegas for a one-off this Saturday night. Things kick off at 3pm, and entry is RMB 50. Hot Pot is back at Punk on September 23.

It's reported that Tun is likely to be sold to a new owner. The bar, which was a hit in 2008 and 2009, seems to have been in trouble for some time, with declining crowds and tough competition at the cheaper end of the drinking market. For more on this, check out Beijing Boyce's comments here.

Finally, Factory, just up the road from Revolution, has been replaced by a cafe. A setback for Yashow West's chances of becoming the next burgeoning bar street, then.