Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Notice
Open Auction of Vacant Market Stalls on

Hong Kong Island and Islands District

An open auction for letting out vacant market stalls on Hong Kong Island and Islands District will be held on 8th floor, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, 22 August 2008. Details of the vacant stalls, including stall numbers, commodities permitted for sale, monthly upset rents are set out at Annex I.

Successful bidders will enter into a market stall tenancy agreement for a term of 3 years effective from 1 September 2008 upon payment of rent for September 2008 and a deposit equivalent to one month stall rental [(a) Successful bidders of Chai Wan Market, Yue Wan Market, Java Road Market Cooked Food Centre, Apleichau Market, Sai Ying Pun Market and Peng Chau Market are also required to pay the electricity charges and maintenance cost for air-conditioning as deposit. (b) Successful bidders of Queen Street Cooked Food Market, Wan Chai Market and Aldrich Bay Market are required to pay the rent for September 2008 and a deposit equivalent to two months stall rental with the electricity charges and maintenance cost for air-conditioning (if any)]. In case that the maintenance cost and/or electricity charge for the air-conditioning system in connection with the stall increases or decreases during the term of a tenancy, the Department may, by giving the stall tenant not less than one month’s notice in writing, inform the stall tenant that the Department will increase or reduce the air-conditioning charge specified in the tenancy. The stall tenant shall start to pay the adjusted air-conditioning charge specified in the notice on the day and in the manner specified therein.

Any person aged 18 years or above and is ordinarily resident in Hong Kong and who is interested in bidding for the above market stalls may attend the auction in person at the above time and place, bring along his/her own Identity Card and the appropriate amount of cash or cheque for payment (made payable to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) required. Successful bidders should surrender their hawker licenses, if any, to the Department for cancellation upon signing of the tenancy agreement.

The Department reserves the right to retract any market stall from the auction or change the monthly upset rent without prior notice.

Bidders are advised that it is an offence contrary to Section 7 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, Cap. 201, to offer, solicit or accept an advantage as an inducement to or reward for refraining from bidding at an auction conducted. Offenders are liable on conviction to a maximum penalty of imprisonment for seven years and a fine of $500,000. Furthermore, anyone who defrauds the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department at an auction by dishonest means (e.g. conspiring to refrain from competitive bidding causing everyone to win the bids for their stalls at the upset prices) is also liable to criminal prosecution.

Bidders may refer to the Auction rules and terms for letting market stalls at Annex II. Plans showing the location of the vacant market stalls offered for bidding will be on display at the Hong Kong Hawkers and Markets Office at 8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Any person who is interested in the vacant market stalls offered for bidding may approach the market office of the respective market or contact the Hong Kong Hawkers and Markets Office of the Food and Environment Hygiene Department at 2879 5696 for details of the vacant stalls or clarification on auction matters. Interested bidder may visit the relevant market for the situation of the vacant stalls offered for bidding before the auction and may approach the respective market office for enquiries and further information.

Note: In case typhoon signal No. 8 or above or rainstorm black warning is still hoisted 3 hours before the open auction or is hoisted/expected to be hoisted within 3 hours before the auction, the auction on that day will be cancelled and postponed to Tuesday, 26 August 2008 at the same time and place.