Extended mall hours eyed to revive nightlife

The administration is in talks with shopping malls to extend their operating hours to 11pm as it plans to organize activities at the harborfront to revive Hong Kong's night economy, sources said.

It is understood that deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun has been appointed to lead the revival of night markets as the administration continues to brainstorm ideas.

Wong said in a Facebook post Monday that they are studying different measures to boost the night economy.

"The catering sector does not have to worry that night markets will take away their business. We hope to attract more people [to go out] at night to achieve win-win results for both citizens and companies," he said.

Executive Councillor Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung yesterday said the authorities should host outdoor night markets along Victoria Harbour.

Lam said the harbor markets can operate until 11pm, or even later during weekends and the nights before public holidays.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority said it will host street performances at the harborfront near the M+ Museum and Hong Kong Palace Museum starting next month.

But Institution of Dining Art chairman Simon Wong Kit-lung said it is hard to say if extending malls' business hours can revive the night economy, though it is worth a try.

Speaking on radio, the restaurateur said many stores and restaurants have closed early since the Covid pandemic. Shopping malls cut manpower due to reduced footfall and even flick off the lights to save energy and costs.

"It is a vicious circle that customers no longer go shopping at night due to the early closure of shopping malls and stores, leading to an even worse business environment," Wong said.

He explained that shopping malls have an agreement with merchants, requiring them to operate until a certain time, but the malls stopped enforcing the requirement since the pandemic to curb virus transmission.

He said shops and shopping malls should discuss the issue and appealed to merchants to hire more staff to extend their operating hours.

Sun Hung Kai Properties executive director Maureen Fung Sau-yim said the group "fully supports" the administration's plan to revive the night economy.

Fung said the dining business accounts for one-third of shopping malls' income and extending the operating hours to host night markets will further boost the economy.

She said the group's mall apm in Kwun Tong has experience in hosting night markets, adding the company will invest more resources and encourage its tenants to offer discounts at night to support the plan.

She suggested the administration should speed up the approval of imported workers to enhance the retail and catering sectors.

But Michael Cheng Woon-yin, of audit firm PwC's Asia Pacific, mainland and Hong Kong consumer markets, said the night markets may not bring much business as many Hongkongers have changed their lifestyle due to the pandemic and might prefer to stay in.

Cheng said the administration should encourage consumption during daytime and holidays, and enhance popular sites, including Lan Kwai Fong and Disneyland.

The Institute of Shopping Centre Management supported the idea to extend the operating hours of malls during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, saying festivals are great opportunities to boost consumption.

It appeals to the administration to offer nighttime public transport discounts.