I cannot accept the claim of Angela Tang of the Urban Renewal Authority ('Key elements of old Wan Chai market will be preserved', January 20), that the 150-year-old Graham Street market will not be negatively affected by its redevelopment scheme.

URA's statement that the market is located outside the project boundaries is particularly misleading, considering that the main market streets of Graham, Gage and Peel are sandwiched between the 37 old buildings slated for demolition by the URA. More than 30 market shops selling fish, meat, fruit and vegetables and all kinds of cooking ingredients will be erased in one go when the URA's bulldozers move in sometime next year. Some of these ground-floor shop spaces also provide much-needed storage for our street hawkers. They too will be seriously affected when these buildings are pulled down. Central residents and those who rely on this market for food will be at a loss because there are no other markets in the area and the URA has not made any provision for relocating these shops.

Unfortunately, the process of destruction has already started as the URA began to resume properties in October. We expect to see more shops close in the coming months as their leases expire.