Coronavirus: Hong Kong restaurant group calls for border closure, says virus fears hurting business more than protests
● Business at some restaurants down by half compared to last year, restaurant group representative says
● One restaurant owner says he has only enough masks to stay open another five to six days
Gordon Lam Sui-wa, convenor at the 40-member Hong Kong Small and Middle Restaurant Federation, on Friday warned of a potential wave of eatery shutdowns, saying business at some restaurants has been nearly halved from last year’s post-Lunar New Year holiday period.
Lam demanded the government shut the border completely to prevent mainlanders from entering in large numbers, and said the city should provide masks and hand sanitisers not only for medical staff, but public and private sector employees who deal with the public.
Restaurant owners who spoke to the Post said buying high-priced masks for staff amid the shortage had increased operational costs, with one saying he had only enough masks to stay open five or six more days.
“If the government still does not close the borders completely to shut out the virus source, Hong Kong will only become an epidemic area. By then, no one will spend money in the streets,” Lam said at a press conference joined by other food sector representatives.
