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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question queries whether there is a continuing need either for the existing Central Market or for any such UC marketing facilities in Central District.

The Department remains convinced of the viability of Central Market which, in spite of its present condition, remains well patronised by people both living and working in the vicinity. Indeed, this market is renowned for the very wide variety of fresh provisions it offers.

The Department continues to be of the view that a Central Market or its equivalent needs to exist in the heart of Central and this opinion has been endorsed in principle by the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee as recently as last month. That said, however, this Council would obviously not want to perpetuate the continued under-utilisation of this site. We are particularly keen that the proposed Land Development Corporation project in the Gage Street area should proceed, so that reprovisioning of the existing market could be arranged therein, thus releasing the Central Market site. Although no guarantee has nor can be given at this stage, it is the Department's understanding that the LDC remains committed to this project. If at the end of the day, however, this proposed LDC Scheme does not proceed, reprovisioning might still be possible within another prime site in Central. The Department remains in close consultation both with the Administration and LDC over this issue.

If, for whatever reason, it subsequently transpires that no suitable and viable site is available in Central within a reasonable time frame, it would be necessary to seriously consider the renovation of the existing Central Market, in which event a detailed programme of works would be drawn up by the Department for consideration by this Council.

DR. THE HONOURABLE SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in Cantonese): Can Mr. Stephen LAU inform this Council the daily patronage to this Market? Does Mr. Lau know that on the ground floor and first floor of the Market, most stalls are used to meet the demand of small wholesalers and then from the second floor upwards, most stalls are used by street traders for the purposes of storage and venues for rest? So in fact these stalls are not serving the residents or the working population in the district.

MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, Dr. WONG asks how many customers are there per day. I cannot give you an accurate figure but at the present moment in the Central Market, 70% of the stalls are being occupied. Over the past 12 months, only four stalls have become vacant. So we can see that the operators still feel that the business is viable. The reason why four vacated stalls have not been let is that we are considering the possible outcome of the LDC project. As regards the small wholesalers, I would like to say that wholesalers are selling bulks of goods or commodities to retailers but

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then this does not happen only in the Central Market case. Sale of poultry in large quantities to restaurants is also applicable in other large markets because we cannot control the number of ducks or chicken to be bought each time by a particular customer. As regards the site of the Central Market, does it cater for the need of residents in the area? At the last meeting, the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee was still of the view that a Central Market still needed to exist because from Hollywood Road up to Conduit Road, residents in Mid-levels are still patronizing this market. As for area outside the tramways, it may not be very appropriate but for area by the hillside, a market is still considered necessary.

DR. THE HONOURABLE SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in Cantonese):—Will Mr. LAU agree that we should conduct an on-the-spot survey in the Market so as to calculate the number of customers visiting the market per day? It is because stalls are presently used by small wholesalers for having a processing factory of vegetables and food only. If that is the case, it is contrary to the original aim of serving people living or working in the vicinity.

MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, the Council hopes that if the project at Gage Street can be completed as soon as possible so as to provide market facilities there, that will be better. But before we have a final conclusion, we cannot just abandon the Central Market which has to cater for the needs of people in the area although the need may be very small. As regards the stall operators inside the market we cannot ask them to stop business. So in the short term if a conclusion on the Gage Street project is reached then the problem can be solved.

MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU (in Cantonese):--I would like to ask Mr. LAU, by the side of the Central Market, a pedestrian escalator is being built all the way up to the Mid-levels. If he agrees to the survey proposed by Dr. WONG, then can we also take into account the impact caused by the completion of the pedestrian escalator and incorporate it in the survey report?

MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, Dr. WONG has recently suggested an immediate survey. But I believe that the information mastered by the Department at present is already very sufficient. We have not ruled out the removal of the Market from the present site to the Gage Street site. As regards the pedestrian escalator from Mid-level to Central Market, it of course will facilitate the residents of the Mid-level. After the commissioning of the escalator, perhaps the business of the market may become better but of course this is only a presumption.

MR. FREDERICK K. K. FUNG (in Cantonese):—I would like to ask about paragraph 3 of Mr. Lau's reply. It says that at the last meeting, the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee had endorsed the proposal in principle that we would not want to perpetuate the continued under-utilization of the site. But no

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