Lights out for Hong Kong’s neon signs? Tradition losing shine as businesses struggle to meet rules
- Owner of 79-year-old Tai Tung Bakery in Yuen Long hopes to persuade authorities to let neon sign stay
- Brightly-lit signs a powerful symbol of the city, say enthusiasts keen to save, repurpose them
Another piece of Hong Kong’s heritage will go when the bright lights of the Tai Tung Bakery in Yuen Long are dismantled after the Mid-Autumn Festival, stirring debate on conservation of the city’s neon signage.
“It’s very sad,” said Peter Tse Hing-chi, third generation owner of the traditional pastry shop which opened in 1943. “This sign grew with the business. It is historically significant – for as long as the shop has been here, the sign has also been here.”
He was supposed to remove the sign this May, as it was first declared unauthorised and a safety hazard two years ago, but had appealed to keep it. Tse hoped to keep the sign up at least until after this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival on Saturday and wished to continue negotiating with the government to keep it up.
For almost eight decades, the bakery set up by Tse’s grandfather has been selling traditional Chinese pastries and is famous for less commonly found mooncakes, such as the five-nut mooncake with its sweet filling packed with chopped nuts.
