Restaurateurs competing to run the Peak Lookout have criticised the government's tendering requirements, saying it would be virtually impossible to operate the landmark venue at a profit.
The lease for the Peak Lookout, formerly known as the Peak Cafe, expires in mid-July.
Prospective bidders at a tender briefing on Friday were dismayed to hear that the length of the lease remains five years and whoever offers the most money will win the bid. Among those present was existing leaseholder Epicurean Group, and former tenants Cafe Deco Group and 97 Group.
The Peak Cafe became the Peak Lookout five years ago, after Cafe Deco, run by Graeme Reading and Martin Allies, lost the tenancy to Sherman Tang's Epicurean. A new Peak Cafe opened in SoHo.
Epicurean secured its lease with a bid of $1.01 million a month in rent. The handover was shrouded in acrimony as fixtures and fittings were ripped out of the historic building to comply with a government requirement that it be handed back in its original condition.
This time around, the tender document contains photos of the interior, which may not be changed without consulting the landlords - the Government Property Agency, and the Antiquities and Monuments office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
'Nothing has changed in five years,' Mr Reading said. 'The investment required to fit out a building like this means you cannot afford maintenance on top and get your money back in just five years. That's the hard facts of reality.'