Work to begin on Hong Kong’s historic Central Market, but no one knows what the plans are

After a delay of more than 12 years, work is finally scheduled to commence on what is arguably the most controversial of all the city’s urban development projects, yet nobody seems entirely sure what the plan is.

Hong Kong’s publicly owned Central Market, which has been part of local street life for 175 years, is about to undergo a HK$740 million “heritage preservation and revitalisation” project. The few remaining tenants occupying small shops along Central Market’s walkway have been ordered to vacate their premises next month so work can commence.

“We have to be out of here by 26 September,” says Johnny Yuen Pong-fei, who runs a traditional tailor’s shop with his brother, Bonnie. Now he is struggling to find suitable premises nearby, so he can continue to serve his loyal client base of local bankers and city types.

Yuen has not been offered a space in the revitalised market and has little idea what’s planned for the historic building, home to his artisan business for more than 22 years.

“We are still talking but they can’t promise me anything. They say we will have to wait for five years,” says Yuen.