Street singer’s legal challenge for longer Mong Kok performance hours rejected by Hong Kong High Court
Decision effectively dashes hopes of musicians and others seeking to perform in popular commercial area more often as they had in the past
A Hong Kong court on Monday dismissed a street singer’s judicial review application challenging a government decision to cut the opening hours of a Mong Kok pedestrian zone popular with performers.
The High Court’s decision effectively dashed street singers’ hopes they could perform there more often and inject energy into a shopping precinct popular with tourists.
In his judgment, Mr Justice Thomas Au Hing-cheung said that all three of singer Tony Lui Yuet-tin’s grounds for judicial review had failed.
Up until January 2014, there was a scheme in place to close off the zone at Sai Yeung Choi Street South to traffic from Mondays to Saturdays from 4pm to 10pm so singers and other artists could perform, giving the area a uniquely Hong Kong feel. The zone was also closed to vehicles on Sundays and general holidays from noon to 10pm.
But officials amended the scheme after January 2014 so that the area remained open to traffic from Monday to Friday, meaning singers such as Lui could only perform in the pedestrian zone during weekends and general holidays.