Social News
Written by: Huang Weilun
2020-09-22 07:30
Last update date: 2020-09-22 07:30
"Connect 25,000 kilometers of China's high-speed rail network, reach 44 mainland stations, promote the economy of the Greater Bay Area, and connect Hong Kong to the capital economic circle and the Yangtze River Delta region." Before the opening of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail, the Hong Kong government " "The word for profit" hype about the economic benefits of high-speed rail has attracted a group of businesses to share the dream of high-speed rail.
The Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail has been open to traffic for two years. The dream of high-speed rail has become a dream of Nanke. Passenger volume has not been as expected for a long time. This year, it has been suspended due to the epidemic.
The boom immediately met with the cold front. Businessmen who were optimistic about high-speed rail business opportunities lost their hands. Li Yongjia, the owner of Chaji "High-speed Rail Star" operating near the West Kowloon Station of the high-speed rail, bluntly said, "I hate the government for data!" and he questioned the government's high-speed rail forecast data. "Good sharpness", not only is business not as expected, but the current epidemic is under attack, and the night market has fewer than 10 customers patronizing, which has become the new normal.
Li described that wishful thinking at the beginning was profitable, and the shops were now "beggars". There were no people interested. If the epidemic situation persists, the high-speed rail will continue to stop. It is estimated that after two or three months, the high-speed rail dream will be broken. The sun is moving!"
The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Chen Fan, once said that if calculated on a 50-year basis, the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail potential could bring Hong Kong an overall economic return of 270 billion yuan, and the private sector can also obtain unquantifiable social benefits, which will promote major cities in Hong Kong and the Mainland. Economic, trade and cultural exchanges between cities.
However, the government's passenger flow budget for the high-speed rail has been adjusted several times. In 2009 and 2015, the average daily passenger volume is forecast to reach 990 million and 1.092 million, respectively. By 2018, it will be reduced to 80,100 on the eve of the opening to traffic.
Seeing high-speed rail business opportunities, Li Yongjia, who has been in the catering industry for more than 20 years and lived in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, decided to open a "High-speed Rail Star Restaurant" on Canton Road, Guanyong, near West Kowloon Station in early 2018.
He recalled that he had done market research before the opening, and knew that the government budgeted 80,000 to 100,000 high-speed trains per day. He believed that it was profitable. "The net is 1% (passengers). We are all developed."
Cha Kee boss: the dream of high-speed rail is only wishful thinking
When it was officially opened to traffic, Li Yongjia immediately discovered that "it was not on the right track" and questioned the government's exaggeration of the benefits of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail. "The irrigation is so sharp that it resents the government's statistics."
Looking through the data, excluding the high-speed rail station that has been closed since January 30 this year, in the past 17 months of business as usual, the average daily passenger volume was only about 49,900, which was only about 60% of the government's expectations.
In addition to the fact that the passenger volume of the high-speed rail is not as expected, Lai Yongjia also pointed out that the high-speed rail station has an exit to connect to Austin Station. Most of the passengers flow to other areas via the MTR. The Guanyong area where his ground shop is located has not benefited. He laughs at the place as " There is not much interest in beggars, and the previous estimates were only "wishful thinking", admitting that "there were no detailed figures at the beginning."
The high-speed rail star restaurant's sign, only the high-speed rail logo and the word "high-speed rail" are illuminated.
(Photo by Huang Weilun)
There are less than 10 diners in the evening market, it is difficult to resist the new normal of the epidemic
The visit started at about 5:30 in the afternoon. Apart from reporters, there were only one customer, one chef, and Li Yongjia, the owner who is also a waiter and cashier.
Li said frankly that the epidemic caused business to plummet. He described the restaurant as untimely. During the afternoon tea time, only the customer patronized. "Two words, desolate!" He continued, "In the past, 5 mosquitoes came from 10 mosquito businesses. "Tourists" and the presence of staff from high-speed rail stations provide room for survival. However, since the social movement last year, the reduction of tourists' business has been affected. When the epidemic broke out, we faced the new normal of less than 10 guests in the evening market.
Lai said that the shop is located in the elderly area, and the neighbourhood alone cannot bring it back to life. "Don't let you pay the rent."
The dream of getting rich has come to nothing. Li Yongjia admitted that he hadn't expected it at the beginning, "It's like a gambler, they all feel that they want to gamble first when they win. No regrets, no regrets, go back and turn around."
If the non-owner is willing to reduce rent and the government provides subsidies, Cha Kee may have closed its business.
However, if the epidemic continues, the high-speed rail will not be able to resume operations. Li said frankly that it will be difficult to escape the fate of closure after two or three months.
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The reporter stayed at Chaji until about 7pm, which should have been prime time for the restaurant, but there were still no guests in the restaurant.
Sitting in the restaurant with the chef, Li Yongjia looked at the empty shop front, and said helplessly, "Don't look like a picture, doing business is really ugly."
Regarding whether the government needs to provide more subsidies, he said "please ask the government for help without dignity."
When the reporter left the restaurant, the illuminated signboard of the high-speed rail star restaurant outside the door, only the high-speed rail pattern and the word "high-speed rail" were still illuminated, and the three characters "star restaurant" on the signboard were dim.
Li Yongjia and the chef sat in the restaurant and had to chat and watch TV to pass the time, waiting for the guests, and waiting for the unknown future.
High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station New Coronary Pneumonia New Coronary Pneumonia