Mong Kok shopkeepers welcome reopening of road blocked by Occupy

Argyle Street businesses yesterday welcomed the reopening of the road that had been blocked for nearly two months but some were worried that trade would not improve in the short term.

They spoke as a group of residents published a survey indicating that about three-quarters of 160 small businesses in Mong Kok had lower turnover last month compared to the same period a year ago - and about 90 per cent said Occupy was to blame.

Ms Lo, a supervisor of the Green River restaurant, said takings had been down some HK$20,000 a day since the Occupy movement began. "If the traffic is inconvenient, people will not come ... I am very happy about the reopening of the road," she said.

But a staff member at a nearby dispensary was not so optimistic. "I don't think there will be much change in the short term ... I just hope in the long run business will be better than now," the employee, giving his name only as Ng, said.

His remarks matched the findings of the survey by residents who published their report on Facebook. The group said they interviewed proprietors of 160 small shops on streetfronts or in shopping malls in Mong Kok. About 40 per cent were restaurants, boutiques, cosmetics or mobile phone sellers. Most did not have a branch elsewhere.

Seventy-six per cent said business last month was worse than a year ago, and among those facing decreased turnover, a third said business dropped by more than 40 per cent. Almost 90 per cent said the Occupy protest was to blame as "customers were worried about [the lack of] public order, personal safety issues … and traffic congestion".