The Standard
Residents protest mall plan
About 1,000 residents of South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau and politicians demonstrated around the nearby mass-market retail mall Marina Square (West) that may be turned into a high-end shopping outlet for mainland tourists.
Urging the Taiwanese landlord to halt its plan and not to evict existing small tenants, two groups of residents led by Civic Party and People Power protested around the four-story mall for about two hours from 11am yesterday.
With banners and signs saying ``Say no to outlets'' and ``Serve our community first,'' the protesters expressed their concern that landlord Estate Dragon Group is planning to attract mainlanders by bringing in more outlets of luxury brands, as has been done at the nearby Horizon Plaza.
Led by Civic Party legislator Kenneth Chan Ka-lok and People Power chairwoman Erica Yuen Mi-ming, some also protested outside the Prada outlet at Marina Square East Centre, owned by Hutchison Whampoa (0013).
MTR South Island Line (East) is expected to be completed next year. Last month, about 30 small tenants at the west mall that has provided goods and services for residents for the past 10-20 years received a letter from property management firm Savills. Their rents were either raised by up to a third or they were told their contracts would be terminated in early May, July or October.
But chain stores ParknShop, Watsons, KFC and McDonald's can stay.
Yuen said she will assist about 30 tenants to send letters to the mall owner, urging it to help relocate them. She added that a survey conducted by her party found 96 percent of the 709 respondents said they opposed the outlet plan.
However, the New People's Party's Judy Chan Ka-Pui, who did not join the demonstration, said the public should be more realistic, stressing that Prada is innocent.
She said she will ask the landlord to directly talk to residents next week. She has already helped four doctors find premises for two more years from September in other vacant shops.
She said Savills had said the mall would not be turned into an outlet at this stage.
