Coronavirus: Hong Kong school where gold medallist Cheung Ka-long learned to fence facing cash crisis because of Covid-19
- Government’s latest anti-epidemic subsidy barely scratches surface of problems faced by 20-year-old Hong Kong Fencing School
- School owner still uses empty period to improve facilities to prepare for when it finally reopens
Hong Kong Fencing School, where Olympic gold medallist Cheung Ka-long learned the sport, is facing deep financial problems after being closed for the third time because of the coronavirus.
The school’s two campuses, in Kornhill and Mong Kok, have been shut since early January, when the government banned all sport in the city at the beginning of the fifth wave of the pandemic.
And although owner Wong Tsan said it was “the most difficult period we have faced over the last two years,” the former Commonwealth foil champion remains upbeat about the future.
“The business seemed to be getting back to normal after last summer,” he said. “The pandemic had been easing and more importantly with the effect brought by the achievements of our fencers in the Tokyo Olympic Games, everyone felt the hard times had gone.
“But suddenly the virus attack returned severely in January with the Omicron variants, and it came just like a slap in the face.
“During normal times, we can run 50 classes a week with six to 10 students in one class and some one-on-one individual classes, but of course this is not happening any more.”
With 7,000 sq ft of space lying empty, Wong said the main issue he, and many business owners faced, was not knowing “when it [the lockdown] is going to stop”.