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Alan Yu

Eddie Lee

Timmy Sung

Businesses operating close to the Legislative Council complex where lawmakers are debating political reform are drawing up alternative work plans in case protests get out of hand. These include making arrangements for staff to work at home.
There are also concerns that lingering political risk will further strain the volatile stock market and the city's overall business environment.
For many shopkeepers and workers in Admiralty Centre, opposite government headquarters, it was business as usual yesterday as the debate started.
Gary Chan Yiu-ho, a worker at Professional Locksmith in Admiralty Centre, said there was no need to do anything out of the ordinary. "This is Hong Kong; nothing's going to happen," he said.
But some companies were taking precautions just in case. Employers based near the Legco building said they were ready to activate alternative work plans if clashes erupted.

Watch: Security high as protesters gather ahead of Hong Kong political reform debate
Hong Kong-listed Citic, which is based at Citic Tower across the road from the Legco complex, said through a spokeswoman that staff could either work from home or at an alternative location if protests in neighbouring streets turned sour.
Suki Kwong, director of branding, marketing and communications at accounting firm Ernst and Young, said the company sent out an email to employees on Tuesday informing them that management would make alternative work arrangements if conditions deteriorated.
At the same time, businessmen and stock market players expressed concerns about ongoing political disputes.
Paul Pong Po-lam, founder and managing director of Pegasus Fund Managers, said the stock market would inevitably be affected by the political environment.
"Hong Kong shares have not been following the recent rally in the [mainland] A-share market," he said.
Pong said most stock investors had assumed that the reform proposal would not be passed by Legco and that negative sentiment had already been reflected in share prices.
ANZ senior economist Raymond Yeung suggested other factors such as the mainland economic outlook might have a bigger impact on share and property prices in Hong Kong.
But he raised concerns that local and foreign companies might cut back their investments in the city if the political deadlock could not be resolved.
"I hope we can put the dispute aside after the vote, regardless of whether the reform proposal is passed or not, and focus instead on the economy," said Eddy Li Sau-hung, president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association.
"I don't want to see the business environment being affected by any radical action," he said.
Retailers in Mong Kok had differing views on the impact on their business after the Occupy site in their district was cleared last November.
A supervisor at Green River Restaurant said although business was "quiet" for three months after the clearance, it started to pick up after the Lunar New Year in February.
But a dispensary nearby was not so lucky. A staff member claimed business dipped further after the protests against cross-border traders. "No one comes here to shop. After the protest, businesses are even worse than during the Occupy movement," he said.
Additional reporting by Timmy Sung
 


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Hong Kong political reform

Businesses near Hong Kong's Legco ready to relocate in case reform protests turn ugly

Businesses near Hong Kong's Legco ready to relocate in case reform protests turn ugly

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Bosses are worried about protests outside Legco getting out of hand

Bosses are worried about protests outside Legco getting out of hand