Guangzhou City business owners close stores to protest rent and “admission fees”

Lychee District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province: On Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, hundreds of business owners at the Fragrant Tea Leaf City  market closed their stores in a boycott to protest rent increases and sky-high “admission fees.” Rent has increased rent from ¥80,000 to ¥380,000, 12 percent yearly. Business owners gathered at Tea Market fountain and demanded a response to their complaints. Many police were on the scene but there was no conflict.

On the Tea Factory first floor, there is a small shop that’s being charged ¥360,000 to continue its lease. This is not even rent, but a so-called “admission fee.” In this economic environment, business people feel like weeping but have no tears. Five years ago, the admission fee was ¥50,000-70,000 (depending on location). Now the average is ¥360,000-380,000. The cost has increased five times in five years.

The boycott continued on Friday, Oct. 24. There is still no satisfactory response from the Tea Leaf City.

http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2014/10/201410241111.shtml