Reopening of Hong Kong’s Temple Street night market could be delayed until end of November, as organisers and officials hammer out final details
- Organisers say original hopes of mid-November launch for revitalised night market under threat due to power supply and cart storage concerns
- ‘We want to turn this [site] into a Hong Kong staple for tourists visiting the city, the same way the Shilin Night Market is for Taipei,’ they add
The much-awaited reopening of Hong Kong’s Temple Street night market could be delayed for several weeks as organisers and officials struggle to finalise renovation details such as ensuring the site has an adequate electricity supply.
Under the government’s “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign, organisers had initially hoped to kick off the relaunch’s first phase, which would span up to five months, from mid-November, but said the remaining hurdles could push back the reopening until the end of the month.
Yaumatei Temple Street Association of Hawkers and Shop Operators chairman Raymond Chan Kam-wing last week said organisers were still also discussing how to use the space during the day.
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“We are still in talks with the government about this, but we are hoping for a scenario in which roads will remain open to vehicles, but also does not require us to push the carts away every day once the market closes,” he said.
“It is dangerous for us to move the stalls around, and where would we keep them?”
Chan said organisers had considered moving the stalls to a nearby government sports ground during the day, but felt occupying a public space was far from ideal.
The most feasible option was to leave the stalls and carts at the roadside, he added.
“But, this still means we will be taking up parking spaces. The government has also said we will need to apply for permits. We are still discussing the details with the Transport, Highways and Lands Departments.”
Authorities backed renovating the market, which spans from Mong Kok to Yau Ma Tei, as part of its efforts to promote the nighttime economy. The drive includes events along waterfronts dotting Wan Chai, Kennedy Town and Kwun Tong.
Chan said the revamp included the introduction of new cooked food stalls, on top of the site’s renowned fortune-tellers and an existing array of stores offering souvenirs and dried foods.
The area would also be decorated by the Tourism Board, he said.
The board told the Post that it was still in talks with “related trade associations and government departments to make plans to enhance the overall vibe of Temple Street”. Further details would be announced later, it said.
Chan said food vendors were a regular feature of the market over the years, with many unlicensed cooks becoming prominent in the 70s and prompting authorities to clamp down on such stalls in the following decades.
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He stressed that modern stall owners would strictly follow the city’s hygiene laws.
“The government is very concerned about electricity issues because of what happened previously. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and CLP Power are looking into bringing cables in from other places,” he said.
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The association chairman said the market on Temple Street currently lacked an adequate electricity supply to power facilities, such as electric stoves that could be required under a potential ban on open fires.
Organisers and authorities were still hammering out the last details before the market could open, which could push back the intended mid-November launch to the end of the month, Chan said.
He added that the first phase was expected to run daily for five months, but organisers hoped the market could become a long-term event.
“We want to turn this into a Hong Kong staple for tourists visiting the city, in the same way the Shilin Night Market is for Taipei,” he said.
While vendors’ rents would be waived under the first phase, Chan said operators had agreed to share other expenses, including paying to advertise on social media platforms.
A team of minders would also be employed to remind patrons to keep the noise down after 10pm, to reduce the chances of disruptions for neighbourhood residents, he said.
Edwin Ma, a Yau Ma Tei native, said the idea was promising, but expressed concerns about maintaining hygiene at the market.
“Cockroaches and rats are a problem around here, and I wonder how they can make sure the street food won’t make it worse,” he said.
A local business owner who only identified himself as Lau, meanwhile, described the market as good news.
“We haven’t had a lot of foot traffic for years. Everything stopped during the pandemic,” the T-shirt vendor said.
“I hope the food stalls can bring people back again, and once they’re here, they might spill over to our side of the street and give us some business too.”
