I'm in two minds about the whole thing ... Hong Kong government & developer back-slapping has been going on for so long that it's impossible to stop. The ONLY influence on the success of most small businesses in HK is the greed of landlords & stupidity of tenants. HK needs rent control very very VERY badly; and issues like wet markets, dolphins and bits of marsh-land are just distracting away from the real issue. If rents in a certain area could only go up by, say 20% per contract term for example (& that figure seems like a cruel joke but I for one have been screwed by figures higher than that in the past) then developers would not be in such a rush to wipe out existing structures in exchange for a quick buck. Look at Sheung Wan right now. From my office I can see 5 buildings in a state of flux, either coming down or going up. Incidentally, if the Government were So Concerned about congestion in Central, surely they should lead the way by moving the planned government offices on Tamar Site up into the New Territories or something ... taking a workforce of some 10,000 with them?! Or just shut up shop altogether and let Beijing get on with it. Hypocritical, narrow minded, self serving idiots ruining a potentially great city.

Tell me about it Danno! The last ChinaStylus studio round the corner we lost to a 300% rent increase when the property got sold... And now, after just 2 years, they're knocking down the neighbourhood and my current place with it... Frankly, I'm sick of it too and sometimes just wish I was someplace else.. But I'm not ready to lay down and quit just yet... They'll never take me alive... ; )

yeah I remember that scenario. Screw the insanity ... I've moved operations to Chai Wan, and am packing as we speak.

I'll see you there...