If local retail and food and beverage businesses have reason to be concerned about losing custom across the border to Shenzhen, there was little evidence of it in the crowds that jam-packed the entertainment area of Lan Kwai Fong for Halloween celebrations on Thursday.
It may have been a week night and many of the revellers had to be at work or study the next morning, but far from reflecting restraint, the scenes prompted one bar owner to proclaim “the vibe is back to the old Hong Kong”.
Whether the revival of crowd numbers was reflected in business takings was the subject of mixed reports. One Halloween night may not show up in retail sales, but getting people back on the street is a start towards getting them to come through the door.
Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee, who visited the area before midnight, said the crowds were “significantly” larger than the previous year.
Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman said he believed the number could reach 60,000, compared with 50,000 estimated by his office last year.
Chin Chun-wing, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar and Club Association, said festivities were notably more vibrant than last year. He anticipated a 5 to 10 per cent increase in business.
