Mixed fortunes for businesses as Hong Kong anti-extradition protests force some to close and bring a roaring trade to others
- Large crowds and blocked roads around government buildings in Admiralty frustrate some neighbouring shops and restaurants
- Though some businesses shut early, heavy footfall is money-spinner for many
The spiralling protest against the extradition bill in Admiralty on Wednesday had a contrasting effect on businesses in the surrounding areas, with some outlets forced to close temporarily, while other shops and restaurants did a healthy trade, to the point of leaving some emptied of stock.
The thousands of protesters who surrounded the government complex in Tamar hampered road access to commercial buildings such as the Admiralty Centre, the United Centre and Citic Tower, while cars intentionally parked in the middle of Harcourt Road to block traffic.
The blocked roads and unfolding chaos prompted many shops at the International Finance Centre in Central, about 1km away from Admiralty, to shut their doors early for the day.
Among those that closed were the Apple Store, Lane Crawford, NARS, SK-II, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel.
A spokeswoman for an upmarket Chinese restaurant in the building said the difficulty travelling and uncertainty caused by the protests prompted a number of customers to cancel dinner bookings.
In Admiralty, bank services were suspended, with branches and centres of HSBC, Hang Seng Bank, Standard Chartered, Bank of East Asia and DBS forced to shut until further notice.
