Tai Cheong Bakery in Central makes terrific daan taat. Period.
Now their rent has more than doubled and they gotta move! But the question is move where?
From the unlinkable South China Morning Post:
Lord Patten’s favourite bakery could yet be saved from closure. Two Liberal Party lawmakers say they have found several premises that the shop could move to.
The Tai Cheong Bakery in Central is famous for making the former governor’s favourite egg tarts. But the 51-year-old business must move out of the premises by May 25.
The owners said they could no longer afford the rent after the landlord raised it from $38,000 to $80,000 a month.
Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, the catering sector’s representative on the Legislative Council, said he and his colleague Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee have found several nearby premises to which the bakery in Lyndhurst Terrace might move.
“We have been trying very hard to find them a new home and several property agencies and friends we contacted have offered a number of spaces. What Tai Cheong needs to do now is to pick one,” Mr Cheung said.
The South China Morning Post first reported the bakery’s plight on Tuesday.
Lord Patten said he was saddened to hear of the shop’s imminent closure. But the city’s last governor was hopeful he could meet his “best friends” again and taste his favourite treats when he returns to Hong Kong in November.
He has said more than once that the shop makes the best egg tarts in the world.
Mr Cheung said that since Tai Cheong was so popular, regular customers would not mind it moving from the premises where it has operated since it was founded in 1954.
The bakery is just the latest long-established business to face closure because of rising rents.
Legislators have called for stronger measures to preserve such heritage shops as part of “old Hong Kong” to attract tourists.
Well, I hope the line “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” means something over there. I’d be totally bummed if my fave daan taat shop was no longer there.
Just a sign of Hong Kong’s demise? I hope not…