Hundreds of diners flocked to a small restaurant in one of Hong Kong’s poorest neighbourhoods on Sunday, taking selfies and lining up to secure their favourite order for one last time.
Unlike many other restaurants in recent months that have fallen victim to the sluggish spending environment, social enterprise Agape Garden was forced to close its doors after the government abruptly decided to reclaim the space.
One customer who turned up for the final day of operation said she spent 30 minutes waiting for her takeaway order due to the crowd, but it was all worth it.
“We expected the crowd, but we are happy that there are so many people supporting them,” said Monica Wong, 52, a resident of the Shek Kip Mei neighbourhood where the restaurant was located.
“It is unfair for the Housing Authority to take back the space; this is a business full of kindness.
“It’s selfless of the restaurant to spend so much on the medical care of stray cats, hire single mothers and give free meals to the elderly – how could the government force a business like this to close?”
