Photo Feature
Old-style market forced to give way to new complex
(continued from previous page...)
Cheng had proposed moving the Tai Yuen market to the nearby Tai Wo Street . The suggestion, however, was dropped after some residents in Tai Wo Street were worried about noise disturbances and hygienic problems posed by the stalls.
Lam Kwei-cheong, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Kowloon New Territories Hawker Associations, considered it risky for the stallholders to move to the indoor market. ¡§Higher rent in the indoor market will weaken their competitiveness,¡¨ he said.
But Lam agreed there was a need to make way for road access to the new residential complex. There are cargo trucks in the nearby streets, and the new residential complex will have a parking lot for 136 cars, which could result in heavy traffic problems if the stallholders stay in the street. He pointed out that the government had already compromised to keep at least half of the existing market.
However, the concession seems insufficient in winning the hearts of the affected stallholders. Lam criticised some of the stallholders for being unreasonable. ¡§Some have stated that if they have to move into the new indoor market, the other half (northern part of Tai Yuen Street ) will have to do so as well; otherwise, they should have the right to stay,¡¨ he said.
The removal of part of the market is a devastating news to the stallholders and customers. The market attracts people from different walks of life, including local
residents and visitors. Not only will the businesses be affected, but the good relationship between the sellers and shoppers will also be destroyed, they said.
Jessica Keating, a fashion designer who has lived here for 10 years, said: ¡§I love this kind of open market. I just want something really local as I feel I am a part of Hong Kong . It¡¦ll be a pity if Hong Kong does not have anything unique.¡¨
Tai Yuen Street is full of stalls and people.
A customer, Ho Kin-man, takes a close look at a box of
a popular toy of the 1980s.
