Temple Street, which was Hong Kong’s go-to street market for after-sunset shopping, was supposed to debut a new look with additional stalls in November. However, according to local media reports, the new stalls will tentatively be unveiled on December 15, and will remain open for five months during the upcoming Christmas, New Year, and Chinese New Year celebrations.
In a report published in HKET, Raymond Chan, the chairman of the Yau Ma Tei Temple Street Vendors Association, revealed that there will be 32 new stalls at the market — 22 selling cooked food and 10 offering street snacks — stretching across 100 metres. The vendors will sell local food, as well as delicacies from South East Asia.
The new look of the market will reportedly be inspired by the Shilin Night Market in Taiwan. Chan previously said that many of the food stalls will be operated by restaurants on Temple Street, while the rest will be run by establishments from neighbouring streets. In addition, there will be five music stalls that will close at 10pm so that residents in the area will not be disturbed by the noise.
The market revamp is taking place as part of the Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign, which aims to revitalise the city’s nighttime economy. However, the initiative’s event calendar says that the market is “expected to be launched in Q4 2023. The Hong Kong Tourism Board previously stated that the hotspot will host “food markets and festive events”, but did not announce further details.
Temple Street was one of Hong Kong’s busiest flea markets, and first became popular in the 1960s for its budget-friendly shopping options, street food, and fortune-teller stalls. However, several reports state that the once bustling tourist attraction is now quiet, and currently has only 100 active stalls — half its usual number.
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