Sai Ying Pun's century-old wet market faces uncertain future as residents rally for preservation

Residents of Sai Ying Pun gathered in force this week as grassroots efforts to preserve Ko Ho Street Wet Market intensified, marking a turning point in the neighbourhood's decades-long tension between heritage conservation and urban renewal.

The market, which has operated continuously since 1926, became the focus of intense community activity after local property developers submitted preliminary plans on Monday for a mixed-use residential and commercial tower. Organisers of the "Save Ko Ho Market" initiative reported foot traffic increased by 340 per cent through the market during Tuesday and Wednesday compared to the same days last week, as families deliberately shopped there to show support.

"This isn't just about buying vegetables," said Wong Mei-ling, a 67-year-old regular who has shopped at Ko Ho Street for over four decades. "It's about keeping our neighbourhood's memory alive." The market currently hosts 28 registered stalls, with vendors reporting average monthly earnings between HK$18,000 and HK$32,000.

The Ko Ho Street Residents Association held an open forum on Friday evening at the nearby Sai Ying Pun Community Centre, drawing approximately 280 attendees. Heritage preservation experts and urban planners discussed potential adaptive reuse models, pointing to successful examples in other districts where heritage markets were integrated into modern developments rather than demolished entirely.

The Urban Renewal Authority has not formally responded to redevelopment proposals, but a spokesperson noted that consultation processes would begin in the coming weeks. Under current guidelines, projects affecting structures over 50 years old must undergo heritage assessment, a process typically requiring four to six months.

Meanwhile, the Sheung Wan District Council announced it would commission an independent heritage value report on the market building's architecture and cultural significance, with results expected by mid-August. Councillor Chan Ho-tin indicated the report would inform the council's official position during URA negotiations.

Several younger residents have also launched a digital archive project, documenting oral histories and archival photographs of the market. The initiative, launched Wednesday through the Sai Ying Pun Heritage Facebook group, has already collected over 150 submissions in five days.

For now, the market continues its daily operations, with shoppers arriving before dawn as they have for a century. Whether Ko Ho Street remains recognisable in another decade will largely depend on decisions made over the coming months.

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