Turning the tables
Councils are still failing to find a happy balance between public space and private enterprise, reports Rosanne Barrett
By July 16, Sheung Wan’s trendy Italian eatery Gaia Ristorante is supposed to have tidied away its tablecloths, packed away its chairs and removed all its tables from the public square at Grand Millennium Plaza. The restaurant was popular with diners, it paid rent to use the space and there had been no complaints about its using the public land. But in January the Central and Western Districts Council ruled commercial enterprises could no longer rent public space, and Gaia has got caught up in the overarching ban.
Hong Kong diners have been outraged by the ruling, fearing that al fresco dining throughout the region is under threat. An online petition on the ilovehongkong website opposing the ban says the decision would “destroy such an important part of Hong Kong’s social culture”. “It will also stop residents and visitors alike enjoying the unique experience of dining open-air under Hong Kong’s neon lights.” At the time of writing, the petition has already attracted more than 2,400 signatures and the numbers are growing steadily.
Some urban planners have objected, slamming the council for its narrow interpretation of public space use. Even the Urban Renewal Authority and tourism operators have reportedly expressed concern about banning al fresco dining in public spaces and the effect it would have on the vibrant street culture of Hong Kong. Many are concerned about the traditional dai pai dong [cooked food stalls] dotted throughout the area that plant tables and folding chairs on Central’s narrow streets during peak hours.
Although many restaurants in Central and Western clearly do operate on roads and in public areas, Gaia was the only one that had a paying agreement with the government, according to a Central and Western Districts Council spokeswoman. When the council learned of this arrangement, members were concerned it set an unwanted precedent that allowed business into public areas and issued the ban. The memory of the public furor over revelations that private Causeway Bay shopping centre Times Square was charging service providers to rent public space was fresh in their minds.
The spokeswomen goes on to explain, however, that at its May 21 meeting the council overturned its ruling against Gaia, opting to support the restaurant’s application for an extension to trade in Grand Millennium Plaza. But the decision now lies with the Development Bureau, and is out of the council’s hands.
For Gaia, al fresco dining is part of its raison d’etre. Asked what the restaurant would do if the decision was not overturned, a spokeswoman said: “We’re choosing not to think about that. We’ve got a lot of momentum behind us. It’s really important, it’s not just us, there are ramifications on a wider level.”
Other restaurateurs are concerned as well. Igor’s Group operations director Mark Cholewka is charged with overseeing the running of 20 restaurant outlets in Central and Western, including Stormies and La Bodega in Lan Kwai Fong and the Wildfire chain in Central and Sheung Wan. He says if the ruling stands it will have an impact all over the city, including al fresco havens such as Stanley and Sai Kung. “It will force people inside and make the city boring. Every other city in the world is trying to get people outside to enjoy the environment. People aren’t going to say Hong Kong is a great city if we’re going backwards like this. It will have an impact on tourism as well.”
Cholewka for one believes the backlash provoked by the ruling against Gaia has shown the council and government how vital al fresco dining is to Hong Kongers. “I really hope it just becomes a test case,” he says, “and [government officials] make [trading] easier.”
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