Food trucks a possible idea in authorities’ bid to enrich harbourfront

The Harbourfront Commission is mulling whether to reintroduce food trucks at the city’s promenades as part of the authorities’ plan to enrich the content of the harbourfront with commercial facilities. 

The suggestion came as the commission convened a meeting on Wednesday and discussed introducing catering, retail, and entertainment facilities at a number of promenades under a pilot scheme. 

Chairman of the task force on harbourfront developments on Hong Kong Island, Ivan Ho Man-yiu, spoke on a radio program on Thursday saying that food trucks require a great extent of mobility and the commission is still studying the feasibility of the idea. 

He added there will be new smart vending points on both sides of Victoria Harbour but he doesn’t expect the impact to be overwhelming. 

The Development Bureau will follow on some of the tourism requests mentioned in the budget and some short-term measures include setting up vending machines that have special designs and offer snacks that are not normally seen every day, Ho noted. 

He hopes these special vending machines can attract citizens, and authorities will continue to observe the public’s reaction. 

As for mid-term measures, authorities are hoping to regularize the dining facilities that have obtained a permit to operate at promenades. 

One example is opening restaurants and fixing kiosks on the boardwalk underneath the Island Eastern Corridor. This project has been in discussion for more than a decade and the commission has strongly requested * in the previous meeting to have restaurants and power supply provided*, Ho said.