Large signboards are no match for the strict regulations of the Buildings Department, and have been demolished one by one.
Leung Tim Knife Factory, a half-century-old shop in Sham Shui Po, recently received an ultimatum from the government. Its big steel knife signboard, which has been hanging for many years, will also bid farewell to the public.
Leung Tim Knife Factory's big knife signboard is a special feature of Sham Shui Po.
(Photo by Gong Simin)
under the knife · keep people
Mr. Liang Hong, the person in charge of Liangtian Knife Factory, said: "I received the notice a few years ago, and this year it finally burned to the ground. I am so helpless, but we have to deal with it as soon as possible." Maintenance, after receiving the notification from the Buildings Department, it is no longer necessary to repair, but to find someone to help dismantle it.” I feel very embarrassed.
Lianglaoge originally planned to remove the signboard in January, but it was difficult to find someone to handle it before the Lunar New Year. Now it may be expected to be demolished around March or April next year.
The oldest employee in the store, Master Chen, who has been working for 45 years, said: "In the past, there were such signs in every store! Now it is rare to buy them. Everyone has a good picture and a good picture, and there will be no one in the future."
First Generation VS Second Generation
Leung Tim Knife Factory was originally located in Pei Ho Street Market, Sham Shui Po, and later moved to its current location.
"After we moved here, we had this signboard. It was a neon sign at the time, and its shape and design were exactly the same as the ones we see now. But when the subway was built in Sham Shui Po, the government asked us to remove the signboard because it would hinder the progress of the project." After the completion of the subway project, new signs without neon lights were hung up, and they still stand today.
The first generation of broadsword signs only existed for two years before disappearing, and now this one has a history of more than 40 years, which can be regarded as "old" level.
Have to stay low?
In recent years, many giant signboards have been "fallen down" one after another. Even conservation groups prefer to accept only neon signs. Other giant signboards with distinctive features may eventually be sent to landfills and disappear into the torrent of history.
But Mr. Liang said, "I'm so lucky to know that someone is willing to accept the big knife signboard, so we need to arrange more manpower to deal with it, instead of hastily tearing it down and taking it away."
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