Why HK Shopping Malls Cut Christmas Decors in 2019?

HK Shopping Malls cut extravagant Christmas Decors, after a Christmas tree in Festival Walk was set on flame. Let’s take a tour how top 10 shopping malls dress up in the festival!

Same as other major cities, HK shopping malls spare extravagant budgets for Christmas decoration. Wherever you go around here, you can see how wow the decors are. But we can hardly see this scene again for coming Christmas. 

On the contrary, property owners are more cautious of how to control crowds for holiday seasons. They not only reduce events and promotions, but also cut Christmas decors substantially in the malls. Actually, what’s happening here in HK?

 

 

 

Impact by Protests to Malls

Since June, HK Protests have become global headlines. It has already lasted for six months. Not to mention, shopping malls have become the major target of vandalisation by protesters. 

Furthermore, the damage has gone to the worst when a 2-storey Christmas tree in Festival Walk was set into flame on 12 November. As a result, the shopping mall owner (Mapletree) has closed Festival Walk for repair until early 2020.

Among all, Festival Walk is the first shopping mall in HK closed for operation so long after damage in protests.

Despite the fact that the protest yesterday did not cause further damage to malls, property owners have already adopted a series of precautionary measures recently.

 

 

Precautions amidst Protests

As Lacrucci knows, all shopping malls should have started their Christmas decors in November. But all the plans were either put on hold or changed after the fire in Festival Walk.

Instead, shopping malls have adopted more precautionary measures since then. For examples:

1) Reduce inflammable decors 

Firstly, they have cut or reduce inflammable decors. For example, in Harbour City, a fabric-made Christmas tree is displayed instead of a real one in the mall.  

In order to reduce the risks of fire damage into minimum, some shopping malls have not displayed real Christmas trees. On the other hand, they go for non-inflammable displays or simply reduce the decors. 

 

 

 

 

2) Increase security guards 

Secondly, more security people keep watching in light of unexpected protests. In addition, property management companies have adopted a new set of guidelines in the events of  protests. 

In spite of additional security force,  it’s still not easy for property owners to encounter the confrontation between police and protesters. 

 

 

3) Evaluate insurance cover 

Furthermore, major shopping malls in HK have suffered facility damage during the protests. Facility is still under repair, such as glass walls and escalators. In other words, property owners have to pay extra for reinstatement.

Despite the fact that their insurance will cover some the costs, they have started to evaluate if the insurance policy can have enough cover in case of protests or riots. 

 

How HK shopping malls dress up for Christmas

Over the past few days, we have visited a number of shopping malls in Hong Kong. Most of them have limited Christmas decors. Few of them have no Christmas decors at all.

Apparently, we are greeting a totally different Christmas as compared with any before.  But still, we hope it’s peaceful in coming festival seasons!

Meanwhile, let’s take a tour of how HK shopping malls dress up for Christmas:

1. IFC Mall (Central)

 

     2. Landmark (Central)

 

    3. Pacific Place (Admiralty)

 

   4. Times Square (Causeway Bay)

 

    5. Hysan Place (Causeway Bay)

 

 

   6. Taikoo Place (Quarry Bay)

 

   7. Harbour City (Tsim Sha Tsui)

 

    8. K11 Musea (Tsim Sha Tsui)

 

     9. Langham Place (Mongkok)

 

    10. New Town Plaza (Shatin)

 

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