Adrian’s Insights

If Media Whispers are True, Insomnia Lan Kwai Fong, an Iconic HK Venue is Closing Forever By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law For over twenty years Insomnia Lan Kwai Fong has been more than just a venue; it’s been a symbol of the vibrant, sleepless energy that defines Hong Kong; the heartbeat of Lan Kwai Fong. […]

Why supersize where “mini” is better? It makes sense for health, well-being, and longevity—and is cheaper By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law In Hong Kong, it’s become common to ask for “less rice” with our meals, we recognise not everyone needs oversized portions or excessive calories. Larger portions may offer “value,” but they’re not always

It’s time to think about the future of these Hong Kong streets creatively By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Hong Kong’s heritage has been fading and one of the clearest signs is the disappearance of iconic small street stalls. Once bustling hubs of entrepreneurial energy, many of these micro-stalls are now shuttered, sitting in limbo,

Are you having coffee in a flower shop, or buying flowers in a coffee shop : I’m confused. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law In food & beverage, it’s said people aren’t just buying the product; they’re buying the environment. Nothing highlights this better than Pacific Place, Hong Kong, that has just introduced : yet

Reimagining Hong Kong’s Streets By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Let’s have more fixed-pitch and itinerant hawker licenses — surely, we can do better moving forward. What if we embraced a bold, dynamic policy to revive our streets, making them more textured, lively and more entrepreneurial : like they used to be? Hong Kong has

My first collection of 3D Hong Kong anaglyphs (stereo photos) from the 80s! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I’m truly excited to share my first collection of 3D Hong Kong anaglyphs (stereo photos) from the 80s! 📷 After more than a year of reimagining and digitally crafting this fine art window into my Hong

Living in a textured Hong Kong is everything — it’s worth valuing and preserving. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Much of the city’s innate vibrancy has been pushed aside by relentless development. Yet, in the older districts, you still stumble upon scenes that remain virtually unchanged for decades. I was struck recently by the

Transforming Hong Kong’s Food & Beverage Industry with an easy access Outdoor Seating system. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Imagine a bustling city where it’s easy to operate outdoor seating to breathe new life into the food and beverage industry, providing a much-needed boost to businesses. Hong Kong’s outdoor seating accommodation (OSA) provisions saw

Tips for a Smooth Mainland Travel Permit Application to China for Hong Kong Permanent Residents. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Recently, I applied for a travel permit to Mainland China and discovered a few tips that might make your experience smoother: 1. Have Your Access to Information Letter Ready: Ensure you have the original

Hong Kong has an open real-estate market again… finally! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Property offerings have sold out swiftly following lifting of residential property cooling measures : as Mr Paul Chan Mo-Po said: “The economy is recovering now… no matter if it is corporations or residents, they need to strengthen their fundamentals and

The O’Sullivan Factor: Shining a Light on Hong Kong’s Appeal : as a place to call home By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Seven-time world snooker champion, Ronnie O’Sullivan, has recently landed in Hong Kong under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme — a move that underscores the advantages Hong Kong offers to international sports figures

The Future of Delivery Is Here – And It’s Transforming Hong Kong – street by street! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law “Think local, act local” is causing sweeping changes across Hong Kong’s delivery landscape. I have noticed the surge of CaiNiao delivery hubs popping up in small holes-in-the-wall and ground-floor shops all around the city? This

Hong Kong having a Northern Metropolis is long overdue By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Hong Kong has lagged behind in regional integration for too long – it’s time to catch up. My journey with Hong Kong began in the 1970s, working in Sha Tau Kok, experiencing the daily tensions and joys of the border.

The Art of Dining… or Should I Say, Dining for the Art? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Food and beverage spaces have evolved — today, it’s about food styling and photo ops not just eating and drinking! I’ve been fascinated to hear from clients about customers who come in less to taste and more

Should Hong Kong have mandatory training and certification before people are allowed to go to work? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Yet another workplace injury took place in Yau Mai Tei on Saturday, November 11th, that has again brought into focus construction site safety issues.  The process for selection of riggers involved in dealing

One area to change about your food & beverage business that may boost profits By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law The iconic STAUNTON”S in Hong Kong (One of the earliest open fronted premises) Operators frequently forget that any restaurant, bar or club in Hong Kong that sells liquor can always apply to change any “conditions”

Upstairs F&B – It can work in Hong Kong By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law For many people operating food and beverage premises upstairs in Hong Kong has been a no-go; and the focus has always been modern buildings if that was going to happen. However, with prices having fallen dramatically for all upstairs premises

Is “Light Refreshment” now a viable low cost food business to build in Hong Kong? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law New approaches mean a wider range of foods can now be offered in Hong Kong to unlock revenue Quietly the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong streamlined the scope of what activities

Time to buy property in Hong Kong for F&B… or Not? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I consistently hear that it’s impossible to buy commercial property in Hong Kong on the part of retailers or food and beverage operators; so they are stuck as renters for ever. They claim prices are too high and

Pandemic over yet sales are worse for some Hong Kong Food & Beverage outlets than they were during it : why ? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Some Hong Kong operators are seeing sales below those during the Covid period; when Hong Kong was almost totally isolated from the world. Despite this reopening of

Nothing to whine about By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Hong Kong has been putting itself on the world map for wine since the government removed taxes in 2008 creating a free port but this has not always translated to cheaper high quality wines in restaurants and at retail wine still isn’t that cheap. Some

Isn’t it time we got Hong Kong moving again with a modern ride-hailing solution, like Uber, if our taxi industry is stuck in the past? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law From haggling with drivers and being ignored to enduring old vehicles, feeling unsafe and getting out mid-trip, the daily woes of Hong Kong taxis

Why can’t Hong Kong embrace e-bikes right now for a cleaner, more efficient city? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I’ve just got back from racing in Niseko and know that pure pedal power isn’t the only way to cover distances and the way Japan has used the e-bike for many years is truly impressive.

Fed up with landlords? Renting like Pure Fitness, does it make sense to rent anymore? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Just a few days ago, news emerged that a shop in Yau Ma Tei was sold, with the buyer possibly being the end user. Even if not confirmed it raises an important question: In

When Stalled Negotiations – Stall Progress! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Walking through one of Hong Kong’s older neighborhoods, I stumbled upon a sight that’s all too familiar—an area where property development has ground to a halt. It seems that, once again, negotiations to expand development across multiple sites may have hit a wall.

Improving Restaurant Licensing : A Call for Collaborative Solutions not penalties. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Having played a pivotal role in creating the Provisional Restaurant Licensing system in Hong Kong, we aimed at streamlining the lengthy process of obtaining food (and beverage) licenses; I’d have hoped decades later it would be smooth sailing

Is the Hong Kong Government changing tack on Industrial Accidents? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Recent Hong Kong government moves in relation to a tragic workplace accident at a Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) property have seen a swift, yet seemingly unusual Police response to what at first glance looks like an industrial accident.

Retail turnover rent in Hong Kong for stability and mutual benefit By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Faced with an on-going bumpy COVID recovery for the F&B industry and on-going retail uncertainly in Hong Kong “turnover rent” with minimal base rent is the ideal way to create a win-win for landlords and business operators alike

Lets go to Osaka for dinner next week ! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Should we try Japan next week for dinner and is it cheaper than staying in Hong Kong for a couple of Omakase nights out? Some in the Japanese dining trade in Hong Kong are complaining that it is now “worse

Is Hong Kong’s Watson’s making an Eco-Friendly Move with new reduced packaging or is it still a just a plastic bottle? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Well done to Watson’s Water in Hong Kong if it is taking a tiny step toward sustainability with a change to their iconic Freeman LAU designed water bottle