PMQ accused of not opening its space to the community

PMQ is not living up to its promise to rent space to organisations for community use, protesters said as about a dozen rallied outside the former police married quarters in Central yesterday.

They said PMQ was not leasing space for organisations serving communities in the Central and Western districts, and refused to discuss traffic and noise impact in the area.

Central and Western district councillor Hui Chi-fung said public space at the PMQ was always empty, and when it was occupied, it was usually exhibitions of expensive brands.

"Some owners' corporations wanted to hold meetings … there, PMQ wouldn't even tell them the rent," he said.

Cheung Kai-yin, a project coordinator at United Social Service Centre, said the centre had been asking PMQ since May to lease them space to hold a Mid-Autumn Festival carnival, but PMQ told them the slot was taken. "I asked if we could hold a carnival for Christmas then, but they said all slots in the year were taken," she said. "I feel like they don't really welcome organisations like us. They said it was for the community … but in fact it's all for big enterprises."

A PMQ spokesman said they had discussed the issues of space rental, traffic and noise impact with the district council earlier. They have agreed to let owners' corporations use one of their rooms for meetings.