Owner of 80-year-old Hong Kong pawn shop 'refuses to meet government' to discuss last-ditch efforts to stop demolition

The owner of an 80-year-old Hong Kong shophouse that is being demolished to make way for a commercial tower has refused to meet development minister Paul Chan Mo-po as the government made last-ditch efforts to save parts of the building, it has emerged.

The revelation was made by deputy secretary for development Albert Lam Kai-chung at an Antiquities Advisory Board special meeting today to review the heritage value of the building, which has been home to the Tung Tak Pawn Shop since as early as 1939.

The board decided to retain its grade three historic building status, contrary to activists’ call for it to be upgraded to a legally protected monument in an attempt to save it from redevelopment.

The board’s decision was in line with the recommendation by its assessment panel, which maintained that the building only warranted a grade three status – the lowest level of heritage ranking, after a review with the new findings.

While only declared monuments are safe from demolition, grade two buildings are subject to “selective preservations. For grade-three buildings, alternative means of preservation – such as photography – are adequate.