The straw that could hurt Camel Paint Building
Where in Hong Kong can one find this secret shopping paradise?
According to Hong Kong Tourism Board, it is “a huge multi-block outlet shopping complex where people flock to find the latest cosmetics and fashion — along with wine, craft beer, camping gear and pretty much anything else you can think of”.
This treasure-hunting spot is the Camel Paint Building, which stole the media limelight after a famous rice noodle shop Kwong Wing Mixian was ordered to shut down because it did not have the required restaurant license.
Kwong Wing is one of the four restaurants at the Camel paint Building Block 3, but accordingly, there are at least 12 eateries still open for business, although only two are licensed factory canteens, according to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said the Lands Department was enforcing the law because the building can only be used for industrial and storage purposes and Kwong Wing breached the uses specified in the land lease.
The news sent shocking waves not just because it appeared to be a politically driven action given Kwong Wing is a famous yellow eatery, but also because it has wider economic implications for hundreds of restaurants inside the old industrial buildings in districts like Kwun Tong and Kwai Chung.
Thanks to these operators who bring in creative ideas and cuisines and take advantage of the relatively cheaper rentals, workers in the neighborhood are able to enjoy decent and cheap food for years.
As time goes by, this unique vertical shopping centre becomes not just a workers’ paradise but also a famous tourist destination.
This is exemplified in the praise from the Hong Kong Tourism Board, which rightly described, “What makes Kwun Tong so exciting is how the new is playing with the old. Inside its old industrial blocks, there are designers, musicians, entrepreneurs and artists, making this one of Hong Kong’s most creative districts.
The timing of the order could not be worse as Hong Kong is still struggling to boost up its economy in the post-pandemic period. Chief Executive John Lee ka-chiu is desperate to find ways to stimulate domestic spending as more locals have been going across the border for consumption since the second quarter.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po came up with the idea of rejuvenating the night economy but only met with a lukewarm response from the business sector which is concerned the suggestion would worsen the labour shortage problem and even hurt the day business.
There is no question the government is enforcing the law in the industrial building although it would likely kill many businesses and upset many people. But I doubt if the leaders in the SAR know how to push the right button to stimulate the local economy.
-- Contact us at [email protected]
-
Integration of GIS and BIM can drive development of smart city Dr. Winnie Tang
The China Association for Geospatial Industry and Sciences (“the CAGIS”) released the Top Ten Highlights of China's Geographic Information Industry in 2023, which provides much inspiration. The
-
Equip young people for the future Dr. Winnie Tang
In late February, the inaugural flight of an air taxi from Shenzhen Shekou Cruise Homeport to Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port took only 20 minutes with an estimated one-way ticket price of 200 to 300 yuan per
-
Are we raising a generation of leaders, or of followers? Brian YS Wong
The essence of education is defined not by the facts it imparts, but the potential knowledge it inspires students to individually pursue on their own. Put it this way – the ideal form of education
-
The urgent need for reforms to sex education in Hong Kong Sharon Chau
Nearly one in every four university students (23%) in Hong Kong has been sexually harassed, according to a 2019 report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). A 2019 study found that
-
STEAM should be linked to real life Dr. Winnie Tang
In the 2017 Policy Address, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education was proposed as one of the eight major directions to promote I&T development. Since then, funding has
