Hong Kong is a popular travel destination for many Singaporeans. But the country might be losing one of its iconic restaurants soon.
Source: @gencab on Flickr
On Wednesday (1 Jun), Hong Kong’s iconic 46-year-old Jumbo Floating Restaurant’s kitchen barge capsized.
Just days before that, the restaurant’s parent company Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises announced that it would be moving the restaurant out of the city due to a lack of funds for maintenance.
Since then, there have been several calls for authorities to help preserve the vessel.
In the early hours of 1 Jun, the 30m kitchen barge connected to the famous Jumbo Floating Restaurant capsized.
According to Yahoo News, police were informed of the sinking barge at 11.52pm on Tuesday (31 May).
When police and firefighters inspected the vessel, it was tilted almost at a 90-degree angle.
Source: @mazzettam on Twitter
Thankfully, no one was injured or missing, and no evacuation was needed. Investigations are still ongoing.
An Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises spokesperson said the kitchen barge had undergone regular maintenance and passed the Marine Department’s annual inspection back in mid-April.
The group will now be cooperating with authorities in their investigations.
Just two days before the incident, Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises announced that it would be moving the Jumbo Floating Restaurant out of Hong Kong for repairs and storage after its license expired in June.
This is because funds for maintenance to meet government requirements had been depleted.
The company elaborated that they spend millions annually on inspections, repairs, and maintenance. Such expenditure has become a “heavy financial burden” in the current economic climate.
According to Yahoo News, Ocean Park was originally supposed to take over the facility but failed to find a suitable third party operator. Time Out said the plan had fallen through due to high operating costs and a dearth of donations.
On Tuesday (31 May), Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor said the government would not pump money into the restaurant.
She added that authorities could not do anything if the two parties had not reached an agreement.
On 1 Jun, seven lawmakers shared that they were planning to urge the government not to give up on the restaurant.
One of them was Peter Koon Ho-ming, who said the vessel is a collective memory of the Hong Kong people. While public funds should be used prudently, he stressed that the vessel of over 40 years should be kept.
Perry Yiu Pak-leung, who represents the tourism sector in the legislature, said the restaurant has a historical and cultural significance.
He hopes that the government will give the operator more time to find a “white knight”.
Mr Yiu suggested that authorities could waive procedures and licence fees for the restaurant. The restaurant’s licence needs to be renewed every three years.
Several lawmakers also suggested that the Jockey Club, which has been involved in several heritage and revitalisation projects, could help the tourist attraction.
However, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that some have pointed out it is not possible.
For one, lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok said the restaurant lacked business opportunities.
While it’s a pity to see it go, pumping money into it or putting pressure on the government will not solve the problem.
The Jumbo Floating Restaurant was established in 1976. It is well-known for offering a unique dining experience on the sea.
Unfortunately, like many businesses, the pandemic has dealt it a hard blow.
Hopefully, lawmakers and the authorities will be able to work together and find a way to keep the iconic restaurant afloat through these tough times.
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Featured image adapted from @mazzettam on Twitter.
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