Brochure: Abandon Area of Jardine's Crescent

Urban Common in

THE ABANDON AREA

Jardine’s Crescent 渣甸坊

: History of Jardine’s Crescent

1960s

1970s

- History and Stakeholder -

1890s

Jardine’s Bazaar first appeared in 1845 and was named after William Jardine’s who is the founder of Jardine Matheson. It was marked in the map of 1889 where hawkers were mainly street vendors selling fresh products on the street with no fixed location

Before 1950s

The street was used as a temporary market, where there were no fixed stalls and they were all street hawkers selling fresh food on the floor

Development began in Jardine’s Bazaar by constructing a carriageway and Tang Lung Chau Market was constructed to relocate part of the hawkers. While the others moved to Jardine’s Crescent and have to stay within the ‘yellow box’. Shortly after, business went bad in the market, so hawkers were sent back to the street

Lee Garden Hill development with government began regulating the area, assigning a permanent space for hawkers with a size of 120x90cm to restrict their vending area. Formation of Hawkers Association (香港五行小商販福利會) to negotiate with government about improvements on stall design and send representatives to discuss with the triads

interview time:

how does the hawkers think?

cloth & pickled fruit granny, +30 years

both grannies had worked in the street for over 30 years, they treat the street as a socializing venue with the other hawkers and some regular customers could drop by to catch up with them. however, their children are not willing to succeed their stalls and they will return their liccense to the government after retirement

mrs. lo, +5 years

mrs. lo, hawker assistant to the toy stall in fung un street, has worked for 5 years. the stall generally has a higher pedestrian flow as it is adjacent to Jardine’s Bazaar but their income remain low. moreover, the trash smell spreading from the refuse collect point in tang lung chau market is severe, where mice and cockroaches are easily spotted

tom(anonym), temporary helper

tom’s parent is the hawker stall owner, he go to the stall for help during his day off sometimes. he is not willing to succeed the stall due to the low profit return rate but there are ambitious young hawkers at the end of the street who succeed the stalls and want to continue with the business

1980s 2000s

Four Japanese department stores opened in Causeway Bay marks the peak of the area. Stalls were transformed to sell ‘dry goods’ like clothes/accessories, to cope with the emerging needs, while keeping a portion to sell fresh products near the Market

Hawkers’ income was affected by SARs in 2003. Later, HK government signed the CEPA with Mainland China to attracted Chinese tourists, boosting the pedestrian flow in Causeway Bay. At the same time, FEHD sent people to get hawkers’ consent in returning the hawker’s license by giving a compensation fee of $120,000 HKD, as to create a ‘better streetscape’

2010s

Reform on store types in Causeway Bay. Stores were selling golds, jewellery and cosmetics as to cope with the needs of Chinese tourists. It reduced local’s willingness to shop and affecting hawker’s income. Frequent Sogo thankful week has lowered customer flow to Jardine’s Crescent

2020s

Affected by Covid-19 when travellers have disappeared. More funding went to hawker’s control team with lesser hawkers in HK. Over 800 hawker’s license was collected in between 2003-08, but only half of them are plan for re-licensing with no priority given to hawker’s assistant who worked over 5 years. Licenses issued after 2010 were not allowed for further succession or transfer, result in lots of empty stalls

What will be the future of Jardine’s Crescent?

interview time:

how does the other stakeholders think?

fei gor gor, +1.5 years

he is the restaurant owner of a famous ramen shop in Jardine’s Crescent and his business is less affected and their broth sold out quick. but he is annoyed by the poor hygienic condition at the back alley where restaurants placing the food residue there and attracted mice and cockroaches to stay

ms wong and domestic helpers, visitors

local visitors usually enter the street when they have a target but they think the walkway is tight and the ventilation is poor within. while the domestic helpers are the biggest customer group in the recent years and they like to wander around the street on day-offs as the items are affordable but they feel language barrier with some old hawkers

mr. li, resident FukHingLane

Prepared by:

jenny chan (m2)

Program: