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Lo Hoi-ying

A Lunar New Year fair in Hong Kong has reopened after strong winds blew down tents and toppled potted flowers, with stall owners voicing dissatisfaction about the government’s emergency response.
The fair at Cheung Sha Wan Playground in Sham Shui Po was one of the bazaars where tents collapsed after the strong monsoon signal was issued on Sunday.
Aerial photos obtained by the Post showed that the winds either blew down or displaced at least half of the dozens of tents, toppling potted plants and products stocked in the fairground.
The fair suspended operation on Monday morning and was reopened at about 4pm, but some stall owners expressed frustration over the government’s handling of the situation.
A flower vendor surnamed Chung said she reported the collapse to police as early as 2am on Monday but only saw government workers removing the collapsed tents in the late morning.
She said some of the potted plants were knocked over by the collapsing tents from the neighbouring stall.
“I lost more than HK$10,000 [US$1,284] worth of stock. And we couldn’t operate for hours on Monday,” she said. “It’s ridiculous that the government did not announce to the public that the fair reopened in the afternoon. Some customers thought we were still closed.”

Another vendor surnamed Chan, who sells toy cars, said he was caught up by the government’s abrupt reopening of the fair without prior notice. He said he hastily regrouped his goods on a table and resumed business without erecting a tent and racks that had collapsed in the strong winds.
He said at least three neighbouring stalls did not resume operations, adding that he planned to close his shop after clearing the remaining stock.
Tse Chin-wan, the secretary for environment and ecology, inspected the site on Monday morning, directing colleagues to remove the toppled tents and help vendors restore their stalls as soon as possible, according to a social media post by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
The closure was announced by the department on Monday, hours after the city’s weather forecaster issued a strong monsoon signal.
“Some stalls … were damaged by strong winds early this morning and are now under repair by relevant stall licensees,” the department said. “The [Lunar New Year] fair will reopen as soon as possible once the repairs are completed.”
Other images showed another bazaar at Tsz Wan Shan Central Playground facing similar damage, with stalls collapsing on Sunday night.
One of the affected stalls was run by students from the Salvation Army William Booth Secondary School, drawing sympathetic comments from social media users.
“Initially I wanted to laugh, but when I realised the stall belonged to students, I could not,” one user wrote. “Thank you students for your work and remember to stay warm.”

Another user said the owners were probably inexperienced as his friend, who ran a booth at the Victoria Park market in Causeway Bay, had spent over HK$1,000 on sandbags to stabilise the tents there.
Before the incident, the Tsz Wan Shan bazaar had already been criticised by residents who said it lacked atmosphere and options.
Although the fair can host up to 76 stalls, only about 20 occupied the playground on the opening day on Thursday last week.
One social media user commented: “There was already no business to begin with. Now it has all been blown over.”
The department has organised 15 such bazaars around the city this year, the largest being the one at Victoria Park.
The Observatory issued a strong monsoon signal on Sunday afternoon, saying that strong winds with a mean speed exceeding 40km/h (25mph) were expected from the north.
Gusts would occasionally reach a gale force of over 63km/h, the forecaster added.


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Strong winds damaged stalls in Cheung Sha Wan Playground on Monday. Photo: Jelly Tse

A flower vendor, surnamed Chung, has said she reported the damage to police as early at 2am on Monday. Photo: Natalie Wong

Stall owners at the bazaar in Cheung Sha Wan Playground have expressed their dissatisfaction about the government’s handling of the emergency. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong feels the chill at 10 degrees Celsius, lowest so far this winter

The Hong Kong Observatory says the weather will be cold and very dry on Monday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Vendors at Hong Kong’s largest Lunar New Year flower market report sluggish sales

Shoppers at the Lunar New Year flower market in Victoria Park. Photo: Elson Li

Stall owners have said trendy accessories and snake-themed paraphernalia are popular with shoppers. Photo: Elson Li

Students of Cheung Chuk Shan College display their wares themed on the Year of the Snake. Photo: Elson Li

News

Hong Kong

Society

But stall owners at the bazaar in Cheung Sha Wan Playground have complained that the government’s handling of the emergency fell short


But stall owners at the bazaar in Cheung Sha Wan Playground have complained that the government’s handling of the emergency fell short.


Lunar New Year