Kowloon Park underground zone ‘should boost local brands’ say Hong Kong legislators
- Lawmakers back plan for a 538,000 sq ft, three-storey space under Tsim Sha Tsui site
- But they say the plan can be improved, and it should link to the nearby cultural district
A planned underground zone beneath a major Hong Kong park should set aside shops for local companies and be linked to a nearby arts hub, legislators said on Tuesday.
The development, on an area covering about 25 per cent of the 13-hectare park, will create all-weather pedestrian walkways, community facilities, shops, restaurants and car parks.
But some lawmakers said the plan could be improved. One said most of the shops and restaurants should be reserved for Hong Kong brands.
Hong Kong’s traditional shopping districts are all dominated by these shops and it’s not diverse at all. How can Hong Kong survive in the long term if we can’t develop our own brands?
“If it’s not jewellery shops, watches, it’s international luxury brands [in the local area],” Michael Tien Puk-sun said.
“Hong Kong’s traditional shopping districts are all dominated by these shops and it’s not diverse at all. How can Hong Kong survive in the long term if we can’t develop our own brands?”
