Citysuper's food court in Times Square closes its doors, as supermarket group cites ‘changes in consumer patterns'
The food court, located at the basement level of Causeway Bay's Times Square mall, saw its last day of operation on Saturday.
In an email to HKFP, Citysuper said Amazing Food Hall would be closed from Monday onwards, with the area being returned to the landlord.
'This decision follows changes in consumer patterns and our long-term portfolio strategy,' the email read.
'Parts of our [food and beverage] sections will undergo renovation with seating area, and we aim to reopen in mid-September,' the supermarket group added.
Opened in 1996 as part of the high-end Citysuper supermarket, the food court served a variety of international cuisines in addition to local food court staples such as noodles and grilled meats.
The Citysuper food court in Times Square was the last one remaining of the brand. In 2021, the food court in Tsim Sha Tsui's Harbour City shopping mall shut at the end of its lease.
The supermarket also had food courts in the APM mall in Kwun Tong and PopCorn, a shopping mall in Tseung Kwan O, but they have also since closed.
The news follows a string of closures in Hong Kong's food and beverage sector, which has struggled to recover since Covid-19 took a hit on the economy.
Last week, leading Hong Kong bakery chain Taipan Bread & Cakes shut down all of its stores, ending 41 years in operation. Earlier this month, catering group King Parrot also closed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
7 hours ago
- RTHK
US job growth weaker than expected
US job growth weaker than expected Employment in healthcare and social assistance continues to rise, but private sector firms are adopting a wait-and-see approach before hiring. File photo: Reuters US job growth missed expectations in July, official data showed on Friday, while revisions to hiring figures in recent months brought them to the weakest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic. The employment numbers point to risks in the key labour market as companies grapple with US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs – putting pressure on the central bank as it mulls the best time to cut interest rates. The world's biggest economy added 73,000 jobs last month, while hiring numbers were revised significantly lower for May and June, the Labor Department said. The jobless rate nudged up from 4.1 percent to 4.2 percent. Experts have warned that private sector firms appear to be in a wait-and-see mode due to heightened uncertainty over Trump's rapidly changing trade policy. With tariff levels climbing since the start of the year, both on imports from various countries and on sector-specific products such as steel, aluminium and autos, many firms have faced higher business costs. On Friday, the Department of Labor said hiring numbers for May were revised down from 144,000 to 19,000. The figure for June was shifted from 147,000 to 14,000. This was notably lower than job creation levels in recent years. During the pandemic, the economy lost jobs. Average hourly earnings rose by 0.3 percent to US$36.44 in July, the Labor Department said. It added that employment continued rising in healthcare and in social assistance, while the federal government continued shedding jobs. The US economy has added an average of just 35,000 jobs per month since May, data showed. A sharp weakening in the labour market could push the Federal Reserve towards slashing interest rates sooner to shore up the economy. (AFP)
HKFP
14 hours ago
- HKFP
Gov't-supported youth climate scheme accepting funds from ExxonMobil, world's 5th largest historic polluter
A government-supported youth climate ambassadorship programme is accepting funding from a fossil fuel giant, a move one environmental scholar has called 'hypocritical.' Civic Exchange's annual Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) Programme – launched in 2021 to 'empower the next generation of environmental leaders' – counts ExxonMobil among its three funding organisations. The petrochemical company told HKFP that the funding spans the programme's entire duration. The other two funding organisations listed on the YEA webpage include Swire Properties and the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation HK. Several government departments and the Martine Museum are listed as supporters. The US-headquartered oil and gas firm is rated the fifth top historic polluter by emissions, according to an Influence Map report based on 2023 data. It has been responsible for 2.76 per cent of all global carbon dioxide emissions, behind the former Soviet Union, China between 1945 and 2004, and fellow oil firms Saudi Aramco and Chevon. When approached by HKFP, Civic Exchange did not respond as to how much ExxonMobil contributed, what proportion of funds were involved or why they were accepted as a programme sponsor. However, Executive Director Lawrence Iu said on Tuesday that the think tank aimed to 'engage stakeholders' in the city's most pressing environmental challenges: 'We maintain full editorial and programme independence, and all funders—regardless of sector—play no role in shaping our priorities or directing our work.' Though the YEA website hails Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg, the activist has repeatedly criticised the involvement of oil giants at climate talks. 'Hypocritical in the extreme' On July 19, the YEA programme onboarded 30 Form 3 to Form 5 students at a ceremony attended by Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology Diane Wong. In response to HKFP on Tuesday, ExxonMobil Hong Kong said it invests in the communities where they operate, though it also dodged questions over the proportion and amount of funds involved in the YEA sponsorship. 'We engage with key stakeholders, including governments and NGOs, to identify the best way to support each community's unique development goals. We often participate in public-private partnerships to create long-term, positive economic and social development… We do not interfere in how the funding is utilized within the programme or the programme's operation,' ExxonMobil Hong Kong said. Paul G. Harris, professor of global and environmental studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, told HKFP on Thursday that – even if not intended – Civic Exchange may have helped the oil firm greenwash their practices. '[F]or any organisation that claims to care about the environment, and the climate crisis in particular, to accept funding from Exxon seems hypocritical in the extreme,' Harris said. 'It's hard to identify any corporation — or indeed any entity — anywhere in the world that has done more to both cause the climate crisis and, very importantly, to sow doubt about the need for urgent action to curtail the use of fossil fuels.' 'Civic Exchange should know better, at least if it wants to be trusted on any environmental credentials, than to join the list of organizations that have accepted funding from Exxon. Civic Exchange may enjoy a financial windfall from Exxon's support, but the result is moral bankruptcy. Alas, in a world — and a city — addicted to fossil fuels, this may not harm Civic Exchange's bottom line. Money talks,' he added. In response to HKFP on Wednesday, local environmentalist Paule De La Poype questioned whether it is 'better for ExxonMobil to be supporting this kind of youth program, or to continue funding climate change denying scientific reports, given its historic record in that regard.' She said securing funds can be difficult, though it would be preferable if oil firms were not involved. She added that it would be essential to ensure ExxonMobil does not interfere in the programme: 'Perhaps having an external observer supervising the preparation and delivery would be a way for Civic Exchange to reassure the public.' 5th top historic polluter, 15th in 2023 In 2023, ExxonMobil was 15th top polluting entity of that year, according to the Influence Map report. The company was also a driving force of climate change denialism until the mid-2000s. Though it has since acknowledged that burning fossil fuels adds to global warming, a 2023 Wall Street Journal report said that a culture of denialism continued internally for years afterwards. When HKFP cited the report – which was based on the company's own internal documents – ExxonMobil said that 'debating the past may generate interesting headlines but as we have said, time and time again, climate change is real, and we have an entire business dedicated to reducing emissions.' 'We are pursuing up to US$30 billion in lower emission investments between 2025 and 2030, which include carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen, lithium, and lower emission fuels (LEF), among others,' the firm added, saying it was the first supplier of renewable diesel for public road use. On Tuesday, the Independent reported that the oil giant is one of several facing a lawsuit in Honolulu, Hawaii over their historic greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, 50 leading scientists warned that global warming has accelerated at an 'unprecedented' pace, saying the window to limit rising temperatures within internationally-set targets was closing.
HKFP
2 days ago
- HKFP
India welcomes return of ancient Buddhist relics after controversial Hong Kong auction axed
Ancient jewels linked to Buddha's remains have been returned to India following the postponement of a controversial auction in Hong Kong, India's prime minister has said. In May, Sotheby's pushed back the auction of the jewels after India demanded a halt to the sale. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called the return of the relics a 'joyous day' in a post on X. 'It would make every Indian proud that the sacred Piprahwa relics of Bhagwan Buddha have come home after 127 long years,' he also said, using the Hindi term for Lord Buddha. The Piprahwa relics, which consist of pearls, rubies, topaz, sapphires, and patterned gold sheets, date back to the Ashokan era of the Mauryan Empire, around 240-200 BC. They were discovered by British estate manager William Claxton Peppé in 1898 in the present-day northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The jewels were identified by an inscription as belonging to the Buddha, who died around two centuries prior. The relics represent one of India's most important archaeological discoveries and hold great importance to Buddhists worldwide, according to a press release published by India's Ministry of Culture on Wednesday. 'These sacred relics highlight India's close association with Bhagwan Buddha and his noble teachings,' Modi added. 'It also illustrates our commitment to preserving and protecting different aspects of our glorious culture.' 'Enshrined by His followers around the 3rd century BCE, these relics have long held immense spiritual value for the global Buddhist community,' the ministry said. 'Historic outcome' Sotheby's told HKFP on Wednesday that the return of the relics was a 'historic outcome,' after a two-month search for a suitable custodian for the gems. 'Today is the culmination of our close collaboration with the Peppé family, the Government of India and the newly-announced owners of the Gems – the Godrej Industries Group. Now concluded, this sale will see the permanent return of the Piprahwa Gems to India where they will be on public display for years to come,' said Sotheby's in a written statement. The ministry said a ceremony to formally unveil the relics is in the works. 'The sacred Piprahwa relics will be formally unveiled during a special ceremony and placed on public display, allowing citizens and global visitors to pay homage and witness these rare artefacts,' the ministry added.
