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The Central Market has been turned into Lui Seng Chun is a Grade 1 historic building located
a tourist spot for local stores, retaurants and in Mong Kok. (Photo courtesy of Casper Yam Ming-ho)
exhibitions.
curate information, and their views “Most of the stalls sell high- has also been following the Central
on conservation projects are biased. class goods and the first public activ- Market revitalisation project.
Their views may misinform the pub- ity at the site is a science education “The Central Market was
lic about heritage conservation and workshop which is not related to the originally planned to be sold to de-
mislead them to think that commer- site’s historical or cultural value,” Yam velopers. It is preserved and protect-
cialising heritage sites is wrong,” he says. ed now because of public concern,”
says. Katty Law Ngar-ning, con- “
Yam understands that com- venor of the Central and Western
mercialisation is a must to preserve Concern Group, agrees with Yam. The over-commer-
heritage sites and make them sustain- She says the younger generation born
able. But he thinks that the Central in and after the 1980s have a strong cialisation of the
Market is over-commercialised. awareness about heritage conserva-
The Central Market is a tion, citing the protest to urge the whole site by intro-
government-owned Grade 3 historic government to conserve Central Star
building. As one of the oldest wet Ferry Pier as an example. ducing high-end
markets, the 82-year-old building In 2006, the government stores such as bars
used to be a vibrant place for resi- demolished the 48-year-old Central
dents nearby to buy groceries and Star Ferry Pier for the Central and and luxury cake
build a local network until 2003. Wan Chai Reclamation. Many young
In 2009, the Central Market people protested to show their dis- shops contradicts
was announced to be revitalised as content.
a response to the Chief Executive’s “After this incident, young with the original
Policy Address. people at that time started to care
After three years of revitalisa- more about heritage conservation. wet market vibes of
tion by the Urban Renewal Authority Voices about protecting historical
(URA), the building with the long- sites grew louder and that has planted the Central Market.
standing history re-opened in August seeds of heritage conservation in the
2021 and will be operated by China- next generation,” says Law.
chem Group for 10 years. The concern group convenor
”