25 years ago...

Name change to cost $2m

Hongkong (December 27): What's in a name?

As much as $2 million, according to one tenant of Hongkong Land's Union House.

The tenant said the change in name of Union House to Swire House could cost Hongkong Land, Swires and the other 200 tenants up to $2 million.

This figure included stationery, the amount of time needed to notify customers, changing signs, re-registering with the Registrar of Companies and changing official publications.

Free-for-all

Paris (December 20): More than 1,000 shoppers carted off US$30,000 (about HK$150,000) worth of merchandise in 15 minutes from a supermarket in Toulouse without paying on Friday night when the cashiers staged a wildcat strike for higher salaries, store officials said.

They said the stampede continued for 15 minutes despite five appeals on a loudspeaker from the manager to abandon shopping carts and leave through the main exit.

Store officials said six customers were honest, however, and left cheques.

Graphic: ragg23gwz