Chan Cheuk-ming’s rent at his old space shot up 25 per cent but now the culinary Good Samaritan is moving into a larger space at a lower rate
JENNIFER.NGO@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Saturday, 26 March, 2016, 9:32pm
Chan Cheuk-ming (in white, in 2014) is known in Sham Shui Po for his efforts in the neighbourhood. Photo: Dickson Lee
Sham Shui Po’s culinary Good Samaritan, Chan Cheuk-ming, forced to move one of his shops due to high rent is continuing across the street after a kind landlord heard of his plight.
On the last day before needing to move his restaurant space across the street, Chan prepared 300 dinner boxes and distributed them to the needy in his neighbourhood, just like every other weekend.
The local restaurateur with a big heart drew media attention in 2013 and kept feeding homeless people out of his own pocket despite facing possible closure.
His example inspired Hongkongers to mobilise efforts to support him, including a plan in which people could buy a food coupon and help pay for the food Chan regularly gave out.
Chan explained yesterday that his primary location with a storefront along Pei Ho Street would not move; it was the spillover space he rented beside it for his dinner-box giveaways that needed to move.
“If we kept the old space, the extra rent would be passed to customers and we wouldn’t be able to keep our meals as affordable,” said Chan, who strived to keep prices as low as possible because “most in this neighbourhood are hardworking and honest folks struggling to make ends meet”.
The rent for the roughly 700 square feet auxiliary space was currently HK$40,000 – which Chan said was high for the area – after the rent was raised by 25 per cent.
When news of Chan’s predicament spread among his supporters on social media, another landlord with a 1,000 sq ft space across the street offered to rent him the space for around HK$38,000 inclusive of property rates.
Chan said his primary location’s rent also went up by 25 per cent, but he said he planned to retain it and keep his food prices low.
“That space sees more customers and people remember it as a landmark now,” he said. “If possible, I won’t give it up.”
Chan started working at Pei Ho Barbeque Restaurant in 1983 before taking over the business with a partner in 1997. Since the late 90s, he has consistently offered free and affordable meals.
His business barely survived the introduction of minimum wage in 2011, but he was supported by a group of Hongkongers who read about him in a magazine – and efforts to help spread like wildfire.
“I want to continue to sell at reasonable prices and keep giving out food for free,” said Chan.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1931042/good-deeds-aplenty-hongkonger-who-feeds-needy
