This notice below appeared on the gate of Diesel's yesterday. Their landlord got approval to tear it down and build two Village Houses in this location.

The many long-time regulars in this very popular bar are obviously upset and have been asking me if there's anything they can do to prevent the end of Diesel's. After several hours of discussions over drinks last night, we have discussed many options.

Objections from patrons will be written and submitted before the deadline, July 5. Please do the same if you care. The more objections, the better. Letters and faxes are better than emails for objections, in general.

While the objections will probably not stop the re-development, it'll certainly delay it, giving time to the many friends of Diesel's to consider various alternatives, like talking to the landlord, organising signature campaigns, getting Living Lamma and local politicians involved, etc.

Any advice from our forum members how to save Diesel's?

The Lamma-zine will also be collecting memories, stories and pictures of Diesels's long and fascinating history. Please email me.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

_________________
I'm lovin' it

Why would Living Lamma be involved?

Diesels is hardly a building with heritage to be preserved for historic reasons and I don't see an enviromental angle either.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Thanks, poilkoop, for pointing out this mistake.
A Diesel's regular showed me the photo on the wall and pointed the location out to me, but he was wrong. I'll correct that very soon.

I got the Chinese-only legend of the map on the notice translated (Thanks, Yogesh!)

"The grey shaded areas are the proposed locations of the balconies.
The red dots shows you the proposed locations of the septic tanks.
The pink areas only shows you the sites of redevelopments, with measurements in square metres."

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Lammagung, I can't see the notice or the photos. Do I need a specific browser to view? I need the details of the notice to send a letter.

It's ok, I can view now I've logged in!

He wants to build a "New Territories Exempted House".
Sure he does.

Of course it's going to be a commercial building, a restaurant or a shop.

_________________
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

thanks for the letter template. I've posted mine off.

Thanks to Living Lamma for looking into preserving Yung Shue Wan's last remaining traditional village house!

Only yesterday SCMP published their letter "Ill-conceived plans to pour more concrete threaten beautiful Lamma". Maybe there will be another public commentary on Hong Kong government's efforts at redeveloping away the last remnants of North Lamma's cultural heritage.

The Conservancy Association might at least be able to provide some ideas on how to proceed with this issue.

I realize that the NT native males have a colonial-era pact with the government which allows them to build a three-storey block for their family.

I also realize that this most anachronistic (and many would say chauvinistic) of colonial arrangements is increasingly being (ab)used by "native village sons" purely for huge financial gain rather than to house their families. Obviously the arrangement has nothing to do with the protection of traditional values or culture.

So what about the community's interests?

From what I've heard the landlord in question hasn't even lived on Lamma in living memory, and as far as I know he has no interest in relocating back either. The demolishing of the last traditional village house - in the middle of Yung Shue Wan's Main Street and the tourist trail - would only serve to fatten one person's bank account.

The government obviously has the authority to solve this issue to everyone's benefit by simply appropriating the village house and the lot in question, declaring it as Lamma's cultural heritage and compensating the absentee landlord either with another lot to be developed or by handing him the much-coveted cash directly. Would anyone object to such an arrangement?

Time to write a letter of my own to the government...

_________________
"Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat!"

Next restaurant to close down because of redevelopment: Mr Kebab!

They got the same 14-day notice of rebuilding it as a Village House on the very same same day as Diesel's, 2 days ago. Their rental contract will be running out in mid-Nov and will not be renewed by their landlord. As these approvals usually take at least several years, the landlord applied years ago for redevelopment, even before Mr Kebab opened, I think.

After the huge amount of money the owners invested into this place (around half a million), for just two years, this is very unfortunate for Ali, Dogan and their staff. They'll organise some objection letters from their regulars, but it's difficult for them to find good reasons to object that Lands Dept. might actually listen to.

3 restaurants/bars being forced out of business in just a few weeks because of the property bubble (Emily's, Diesel's, Mr Kebab) and the apparent increase and speeding up of approvals to build more Village Houses (look at the noticeboards for frequent new Village House applications), who's next to go out of business?

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.