Jumbo Kingdom - What next?

Jumbo Kingdom - What next? 

(Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/surrealhk)

An image of a half-submerged ‘Jumbo Restaurant’ went viral after Melco International Development Limited announced it would suspend operations. It became symbolic for our economic challenges and changing social environment. With the tourists gone the business was no longer viable. And the restaurant on top of several barges had unfortunately long forgotten the local market with its single-minded focus on the tourist dollars.

Floating restaurants appeared in the typhoon shelter shortly after World War II. The first Sea Palace (海角皇宮) was sold and towed to Australia. In 2000, another restaurant was taken to Manila Bay. The recent iteration of floating restaurants in Aberdeen Harbour, the Jumbo Kingdom, was established after the devastating fire in 1971. It became operational in October 1976 and was renovated in 2003.

The sinking image and lack of local patronage does not reflect local sentiments though. To have the colourful float disappear is a loss, not just as a tourist attraction. The residents of Ap Lei Chau, Tin Wan and Aberdeen are dependent on Aberdeen Harbour and the jobs it has provided for many generations. The floating restaurant is a character defining structure, an icon.

The district council is keen to see it kept afloat and functioning whether as a restaurant or museum telling the story of Aberdeen (in Cantonese “Old Hong Kong”). There is not just the restaurant. Other key elements are the floating piers, a park and a ‘themed’ shelter over the taxi stand at Shum Wan Pier Drive.

The first responses from the government were disappointing: It is not a heritage building, it is not older than 50 years, it is a commercial enterprise. They showed their lack of interest by replying to the District Council in writing only without attending the meeting to discuss the opportunity to salvage some or all.

Although the taxi stand was already removed – a condition from the lands department when returning a piece of land - Councillors are reaching out directly to Melco urging them to hold all demolition for six months. We have asked the Lands Department to withdraw their requirement on Melco to demolish the structures at the pier side. We hope this time can be used to form a rescue team between the government and others to explore what can be saved and reused.

Aberdeen Harbour has been a busy destination with lots of colour for well over 150 years. Floating restaurants have dominated the views of the harbour for half of that time. The local economy is taking a serious bruising. Shall we let the restaurant sink? Can we use the barges as a museum? Can we reuse the piers and park for boats to land and take people to other destinations? How do we pay for the upkeep and management? All ideas are welcome: [email protected]

(Based on 'Keep Jumbo Kingdom afloat' by Paul Zimmerman published in Living Media - Sai Kung, MidLevels, SouthSide, 1 April 2020)

珍寶海鮮「荒」

新濠國際發展宣布把珍寶海鮮舫暫停營運，有市民趕至拍照留念，網上亦有不少討論及相片瘋傳。這既是對經濟前景的唏噓，亦是過去社會動盪的餘震。餐廳近年放棄本地市場，專心經營旅遊生意；現在遊客減少，生意自然一落千丈。

海鮮舫在二戰後在避風塘旋即建立，「海角皇宮」其後被出售並被拖至澳洲；半世紀後約 2000 年香港另一座海上食舫轉售至菲律賓；近期成為熱話的珍寶海鮮舫則在 1976 年落成，是 1971 年大火後的產物，2003 年翻新直至現在。

沉船的景象，與本地食客的疏離，都未能如實反映本地情緒。一艘全身粉飾的船隻消失固然是一種損失，這不只是失去一個旅遊地標，對鴨脷洲、田灣及香港仔一帶居民而言，更意味着失去大量工作機會。海鮮舫是一個地標，代表了南區的個性及發展。

區議會當然樂見海鮮舫得以保留並繼續營運。形式可以是餐廳，亦可以是講述南區舊香港故事的博物館。在深灣碼頭徑亦有其他重點元素，如三個飄浮碼頭、公園、的士站上的牌坊等。然而，目前從政府一方收到的回覆是令人失望的。他們認為海鮮舫不足 50 年歷史，並非歷史古蹟，更是一個商業經營地點。種種原因，他們只以書面回覆區議會，更沒有興趣派人出席會議商討細節。

儘管的士站已按地政署歸還土地的條款被拆除，但區議員已直接聯絡新濠國際發展，希望能在 6 個月內暫時擱置其他清拆工程，我們亦向地政署要求撤回清除碼頭邊建築物的命令，希望能在暫緩期間成立協調小組，研究保留或活化其中部份。

香港仔避風塘聳立超過 150 年，旅客、漁民、商人絡繹不絕，海上食舫多年來都是避風塘的中心。今日本地經濟受挫，我們又應否接受海鮮舫沉沒的現實？將食舫當作博覽館又是否可行？可否將碼頭及公園用作船隻靠岸的碼頭，並接駁市民及旅客到其他地方？當中的經費開支又出自何處？歡迎分享你的想法：[email protected]

(立場新聞2020年3月23日連結: 珍寶海鮮「荒」)