Latest news with #Edwardian-style
HKFP
21-05-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Hong Kong names 9 hotspots in new tourism drive
Soy sauce factory Lee Kum Kee, Yau Ma Tei Police Station, and Hong Kong's hill and mountain peaks are among nine locations a government working group has named in a new tourism drive. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk, who chairs the Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots, said the nine locations underlined 'the concept of 'tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong,'' referencing the notion put forward by Beijing's top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Cheuk said the new tourism offerings showcased Hong Kong's characteristics and were photogenic. Sauce makers Lee Kum Kee and Pat Chun, bakery Kee Wah, and yoghurt drink company Yakult will hold tours starting in the third quarter of this year. Authorities will also develop tourism offerings around the city's 'four peaks': The Peak, Lantau Peak, Sai Kung Hoi, and Tai Mo Shan. The peaks' drive will begin late next year. The government also plans to open the Edwardian-style building of the former Yau Ma Tei Police Station to visitors, organise trips to sites related to the city's disciplined services, and host regular themed bazaars at Causeway Bay's Victoria Park. The disciplined services' museums, including the Police Museum and the Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum, will launch tourism offerings in the second quarter of this year. A bazaar at Victoria Park is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter, operating on weekends and public holidays. Kowloon City and Central have also been designated as 'in-depth' tourism destinations. The government has been promoting 'in-depth' tourism, which focuses on the city's culture and history, to attract visitors from different markets. Cheuk said that 'new travel patterns and tourists' preferences increasingly value hotspots with unique features that are part of the flavour of Hong Kong.' No performance goals He also said the working group would not set performance goals for arrivals in relation to the new tourism drive, citing the difficulty of quantifying its effect. 'I think common sense will tell you that these nine projects, seven of which will be implemented by the end of this year, will together considerably add to the overall appeal of Hong Kong as a tourist destination [for] overseas visitors and also visitors from the mainland,' he added. Asked about the phenomenon of low-budget mainland Chinese visitors, Cheuk rubbished the notion that mainland tourists were not spending enough. 'I believe the reports were magnified and exaggerated,' he said. 'Don't be misled by one or two images into thinking that many tourists don't spend money when visiting Hong Kong.'
The 42
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The 42
Goodison Park's farewell and one Irish family's story of devotion through four generations
BORN NOT MANUFACTURED. That is what's written across an Everton flag belonging to a family of supporters from Dublin that stretches back four generations. The Mackeys have been going to Goodison Park since the 1950s and, as the men's team prepare to bid farewell tomorrow, this weekend severs a thread stretching back the guts of eight decades. John Mackey lived in Clontarf and raised his family while he worked for B&I Ferries. That is when he would be on the North Wall to Liverpool route and first get a feeling for Everton. His family has been hooked ever since. John Mackey's eldest son is Paul, who turns 72 next month and is now the family patriarch. His younger brother Jonny is 67 and Derek is 64. Paul's season ticket is in the Main Stand at Goodison. 'Row FF, it's a good view. There's only one pillar in the way.' Derek is behind the goal at the Gwladys Street End. His three sons, Chris, Jonathan and Derek Jnr, are a few rows over on row NN. But if John was the catalyst, Paul's obsession was the fuel that inspired a family's devotion. Dalymount Park on 1 May 1961 – 64 years this month – was the first time he caught sight of the blue shirts. Memories of that benefit match for Shamrock Rovers duo Ronnie Nolan and Shay Keogh came flooding back this week when a root around the house unearthed the match programme. Paul's match programme from the game in May 1961. Within a couple of years, pleas to his father to come on a trip to Liverpool with him paid off. Before he stepped foot in Goodison for the first time in 1963 he was one of a few kids ushered into a quiet corner of the Adelphi Hotel while the parents had a drink. The grand Edwardian-style building would slowly loose its lustre over the years, but even as Goodison grew old it remained enticing. Paul remembers the old kids' terrace pen at the front of the Gwladys Street that he was able to get into in those early days. Advertisement His stories and adventures hooked in his two younger brothers, and as Paul grew older he followed his father's footsteps in work with B&I, making sure the Goodison pilgrimage became a constant. A way of life, devotion. 'My brothers tell me it's all my fault and my nephews haven't forgiven me, you know,' he says. It might seem that way now, given Everton's constant flirtation with relegation in recent seasons, but there was glory to be savoured. English league titles in '63, '70, '85 and '87, European success with the Cup Winners' Cup in '85, while the most poignant of all came with the 1984 FA Cup final win over Watford. 'Because I got to be there with my dad,' Paul says. 'We had that trip together, boat to Holyhead and train to London.' He even recalls the scenes of joy in 1977/78 when striker Bob Latchford scored his 30th goal of the season and earned a prize of £10,000 that had been put up by the Daily Express newspaper. A view from near where some of the Mackeys stand in the Gwladys Street End. Paul's brother Derek has been there for the ride too, the lineage strengthening with his three sons. Emily Heskey has a major part to play in that. Unlike the kids being ushered into a quiet corner of Adelphi all those years earlier, Chris' first taste of life on Merseyside came at the age of eight on Good Friday in 1999. Against Liverpool. 'Dad brought us into a little pub outside the ground called the Blue House, and he sat me up on a table and just the noise in the place, you know what I mean? 'There was not a word out of me for the first 20 minutes of the game, I was just sitting there, just in awe, taking it all in. Then Heskey took a dive down in front of me at the Park End, and I went hell for leather, effing and blinding. There was no turning back from then on. I think that's when my dad was proud.' Unlike his father, uncles and grandad, Chris and his two brothers cannot recall Everton winning a trophy – the 1995 FA Cup triumph over Manchester United the last. Disappointment has been a constant but so has Goodison, and that's what makes it bearable. Seamus Coleman stops to say hello and pose for a snap with Chris. 'We wouldn't have met some of the best people that we know if it wasn't for Everton. We had a good friend, Ger Gannon his name was, my Dad's generation. God bless him, he passed away about two years ago, only 61. Cancer. I would have went to all the away games with Ger, home and away, pre-season games, and he was kind of, looked at me, he never had a son, you know what I mean? So I was like a son to him, he brought me away and he looked after me,' Chris says. 'He's gone now, sadly, and you know, it makes you think differently about things. It's the people that makes it, you know what I mean? As much as you want to win and you want to win things, I wouldn't change it for anything, it's part of who you are, that loyalty, that passion. It's so much more to it. It does make you who you are, absolutely.' The Mackeys started life in Clontarf but have spread throughout Dublin since; Blanchardstown, Raheny, Swords. Goodison, of course, is as much a part of their family's story, and Paul's three grandsons – Cillian (nine), Senan (seven) and Finn (four) – made a trip together earlier this season to ensure the links extended to a fourth generation. 'Their dad Conor says he's not Everton but we all know he really is too,' Chris says of his cousin, who has stronger ties to St Peregrine's and Dublin GAA. Paul with three of his grandsons (from left) Finn, Cillian and Senan. Some have already tried to take something physical with them to remember the place as it was. One fan has been banned 'after allegedly smuggling tools into the stadium and attempting to remove their seat,' according to The Athletic, in a week when the club's new owners, The Friedkin Group, confirmed that the Women's Super League side will now call Goodison Park home, maintaining that link that stretches back to 1878. That announcement was at least a realisation of sorts that over a century of longing and heartache and joy would not simply be bulldozed. For families like the Mackeys their sense of belonging and community cannot be erased, simply altered. Tomorrow morning will not be their final journey together as they will all continue at the new stadium by Bramley-Moore Dock, but it will have a sense of finality. After the early morning 30-minute flight from Dublin they'll sort a taxi and head for the Barlow Arms pub, as always. Then will come even more emotion than usual, a kind of simultaneous release of the memories and moments that have been celebrated and endured. 'I'd like to try bring some of the pitch home but sure I wouldn't be able to get it through security on the way back,' Chris says. Maybe they'd have been better off getting the boat one last time.
HKFP
10-05-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Hong Kong's elderly fabric shop owners face uncertain future as historic Western Market slated for renovation
Hong Kong fabric store owner Chan Sun began slashing prices after he received word last month that the historic Western Market building – home to his shop for three decades – would be under renovation and that he would soon need to move out. 'HK$500, 2 Yds,' the 83-year-old wrote on a signboard outside his shop, located on the first floor of the old red-brick colonial structure. Chan has until the end of October to move out and make way for the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) revitalisation works, which will take at least two years. The imminent eviction coincides with the declining demand for the fabric market's products, which has been on for decades. The city's textile and tailoring industries are now shadows of their former selves, their heydays long past. 'At our peak, we were responsible for a fifth of an English manufacturer's business,' Chan recalled their import volumes. 'Look over there,' he said, pointing at the rolls of wool and camel hair blends outside the shop, which stood behind the till. 'Those used to be HK$600 a yard. Now I have to sell two for HK$500.' It will be hard to sell the fabrics he has left, particularly the high-end cashmere fabrics he sells for HK$6,200 a yard, the octogenarian said. Eighteen fabric stores, including Chan's Lee Loy Piece Goods, moved to the Edwardian-style market building in Sheung Wan in 1991, after the Land Development Corporation – the URA's predecessor – redeveloped old buildings in the nearby Wing On Street, nicknamed 'Cloth Street.' This time around, there is a lot of uncertainty. With less than half a year before the fabric shops must leave the Western Market, its mostly elderly tenants are unsure where they will go or whether they will reopen their businesses. 'They're saying the repairs will take two years, but I don't even know if I'll still be around by then,' Chan sighed, saying he had not made plans for when the deadline comes. From errand boy to store owner Chan began working at Lee Loy six decades ago, mopping the floor and running errands for HK$40 a month, back when the shop was still on Wing On Street, in Central. He later inherited the four-storey store from his uncle and expanded its operations by selling fabric to textile factories. When the shop relocated to the first floor of the Western Market in Sheung Wan, he had to downsize his business as he was allocated a refurbished wet-market stall measuring barely 80 square feet. Chan is still in business despite incurring losses for the better part of 33 years running the shop at the market. It is kept barely afloat by a small band of loyal customers who keep coming back to buy suit fabrics. The fabric vendors have built close and friendly relationships over the years, said another elderly seller who only wanted to give his surname, Chow, due to privacy reasons. That afternoon in April, he was manning a neighbouring store while the owner was out for lunch. That sense of community also helped on the business front, he said. 'If we get split up, we won't be able to source our fabrics in bulk together anymore,' he said, pointing to the rolls of British, Italian, and German suit fabrics at his store, which Chan also stocks at Lee Loy. Chow's shop, Three Geniuses Furnishing Fabrics, and many others in the market sell colourful cloths – jacquard fabrics and screen-printed patterns in reds, magentas, and other bright hues – which bear a striking contrast to the blacks and greys at Chan's stall. One of their main clientele is local fashion students and designers. Film crews also come to the market for fabrics. However, with cheaper materials available online, far fewer of them come to local stores, Chow said. Oldest surviving market building First completed in 1906, the Western Market is Hong Kong's oldest surviving market building. It served as a wet market for more than 80 years before it underwent a major renovation and reopened in 1991. The building, which was declared a monument in 1990, was refurbished in 2003 – more than two decades ago. Decades later, natural wear and tear have left the structure in need of a facelift. 'We do see the need for it. Look, the rain is seeping through the bricks, and water is leaking through the ceiling next door,' said Chow, 73, shortly after a rainy April morning. The URA said it would contact the fabric market tenants in due course to explain the refurbishment works and provide assistance. But it did not say whether it would offer special compensation or relocation arrangements to the stallholders. Its statement read: 'As for the fabric traders, when the Land Development Corporation (LDC) redeveloped Wing On Street in Sheung Wan years ago, it already offered compensation to the affected fabric traders in accordance with the policy at that time.' Besides tackling the water seepage, the URA's revitalisation works will also address the historic building's ageing electrical and mechanical equipment, roof tiles and timber components, as well as its facade, doors and windows. 'To facilitate the commencement of the works and for safety reasons, all commercial tenants will have to move out,' the authority said in an emailed reply to HKFP's enquiry. The fabric store is all Chan has left. 'I don't have other interests, I don't drink or gamble, and I don't have friends anymore,' he said. 'People my age – lots of them – are no longer around, so I don't know what I'll do without the shop. We're just here to ride out the rest of our lives.' As the vendors brace for the inevitable evictions, tourists are unaware of the plan for the century-old red-brick building and its tenants. On the day of HKFP's visit, they took photos of the fabric stores, though few purchased anything and left empty-handed. 'Can't see a future' Katy, a florist on the market's ground floor, has found a new address for her store a few streets away. She declined to disclose her full name due to privacy concerns. 'We're renting the new place for around the same price, but I'll miss the market,' she said. 'After all, it's a landmark, and we've been here for 30 years,' she said. Under a different tenancy agreement with the building's landlord, the Telford Recreation Club, she is among the Western Market's tenants who will only have until the end of the month to move out. Katy said she had emotional ties to the historic market building, as it was where her son grew up. 'We've experienced Hong Kong's rise and fall. Now there aren't as many tourists as there used to be. Back in the day, we could strike up a conversation with them, but there aren't many opportunities for that,' she said. Katy's last two rental contracts at the market were only for two months each, instead of the customary two years. The URA says it may make 'flexible arrangements' or provide tenants with intermediary services for relocating their businesses, or look into moving those businesses to other commercial premises managed by the authority. 'Hong Kong seems to have slowed down. When I can't see a future, I just don't have the motivation to do anything, not even install an Octopus card reader,' she said. 'I want to touch up the shop and make it more presentable, but I just don't have that drive.' Chan lamented the current political environment, saying he was not bothered to reach out to lawmakers or district councillors for help. 'Times have changed,' he said. 'Look how peaceful it is now. There used to be protests against this kind of thing, but not anymore.' Original reporting on HKFP is backed by our monthly contributors. Almost 1,000 monthly donors make HKFP possible. Each contributes an average of HK$200/month to support our award-winning original reporting, keeping the city's only independent English-language outlet free-to-access for all. Three reasons to join us: 🔎 Transparent & efficient: As a non-profit, we are externally audited each year, publishing our income/outgoings annually, as the city's most transparent news outlet. 🔒 Accurate & accountable: Our reporting is governed by a comprehensive Ethics Code. We are 100% independent, and not answerable to any tycoon, mainland owners or shareholders. Check out our latest Annual Report, and help support press freedom.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Controversial influencer who was slammed for over the top entrance at Australian Fashion Week turns heads yet again while flaunting trim pins in lilac gown at Les Miserables premiere
Controversial influencer Jamie Azzopardi has once again become the talk of the town. Azzopardi, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, arrived at the Les Miserables premiere in Sydney on Thursday night in a stunning gown. The social media sensation flaunted their trim pins in a lilac dress with a daring thigh high split. The one shoulder gown featured a high collar and a one draped sleeve for maximum drama. It flowed down Jamie's figure and and flared out, the satin fabric catching the light. Jamie added to the look with a pair of white patent heels but otherwise skipped the accessories. The social media sensation flaunted their trim pins in a lilac dress with a daring thigh high split. The one shoulder gown featured a high collar and a one draped sleeve for maximum drama It comes after Azzopardi arrived at Australian Fashion Week last year in an elaborate Edwardian-style outfit - before hitting back at their critics. Azzopardi made an outrageous arrival at Carriageworks in Sydney flanked by an entourage of minders, to which Married At First Sight star Carolina Santos couldn't resist commenting on social media. 'What the f*** is that? Does Jamie think [they] are at the Met Gala or something? Why are people holding [their] clothes?' Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia at the event, Jamie clapped back at Carolina's comment. 'Carolina, I do have a question because you have a lot to say about me: I just want to know, what do you know about the Met Gala?' Jamie turned plenty of heads with their outfit, which consisted of a baby blue ruffled coat with a deep, plunging neckline. The stylist paired the statement garment with a long black skirt and towering high heels. It comes as eyewitnesses described Azzopardi's arrival at Fashion Week as nothing short of a performance. Dressed in a detailed gown which featured layers of fine fabric and intricate embellishments, the stylist made sure all eyes were on them. Azzopardi's 'minders' were seen constantly adjusting every detail of their attire, ensuring that not a single fold was out of place as photographers snapped away. Australian Fashion Week has gone from one of the country's most prestigious events to one flanked by reality stars, wannabes and micro-influencers. Industry insiders have told Daily Mail Australia last year that designers are taking caution and want nothing to do with 'fame hungry MAFS stars desperate to be seen at fashion week'.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC's Peaky Blinders set to 'RETURN for a seventh series with two huge changes as filming starts this summer'
is set to return for another crime-packed series with filming is set to start this summer, according to a new report. The new series will begin in the 1950s and BBC bosses are pinning hopes on an air date next year to build on the renewed interest expected after the release of the Peaky Blinders film, The Immortal Man, according to the Sun. Series six ended in the 1930s, and the film is set during the Second World War, so an upcoming series would jump forward several years. The new episodes are expected to pick up in the fifties, a time of violent Teddy Boy gangs and the rise of the infamous Kray twins in London. A TV insider told the publication: 'The sixth series was meant to be the last and the film was supposed to end the story. But show boss Steven Knight couldn't resist coming back. He has been hinting for a while that he wanted to do more. Now the BBC has officially green-lit the project, and pre-production is under way, which will thrill fans.' Filming is expected to begin in September and will air on BBC One in the UK and then be distributed internationally by Netflix, which is also backing the film. Peaky Blinders originally ran from 2013 to 2022, following the Shelby family from 1919 through the 1920s and 1930s. Cillian Murphy, who stars in the new film, could return to the series as Thomas Shelby, but in a 'father figure' role to a younger generation of gangsters – similar to the role played by the late Helen McCrory as Polly Gray. After the TV series ended, Steven Knight dropped multiple hints that the story would continue. Speaking about the film, he recently said: 'The world of Peaky will continue.' MailOnline contacted the BBC for a comment, who have declined to comment. Teddy Boys were young men who dressed in Edwardian-style clothing and became known for violent clashes in the 1950s. They often carried flick knives and knuckle dusters, and were seen as a major problem by police at the time. The Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie, rose to power in London in the late 1950s and 1960s. They ran organised crime operations, including protection rackets, and became notorious figures in British criminal history. Their connections with celebrities and their brutal methods made them infamous across the country.
