Editing Link REIT (section)

===Market management===
[[File:Cheung Fat Modern Market.JPG|thumbnail|Cheung Fat Market, rebranded by The Link as "Cheung Fat Modern Market"]]
In addition to indoor shopping centres, The Link also acquired many local estate markets in 2005. Such markets are covered facilities with small stalls and shops let out to local residents, generally offering fresh meat and vegetables as well as daily necessities and home wares. As with the shopping centres, The Link has raised rents and also renovated some properties, leading to increased [[food prices]] and financial hardship on low-income households.<ref name="hkfpcheungfat1">{{cite news|last1=Yuen|first1=Chantal|title=Stall owners to close up shop for 7 days in anger over outsourcing of market management|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/15/stall-owners-angry-over-link-reit-outsourcing-of-market-operations/|work=[[Hong Kong Free Press]]|date=15 February 2016}}</ref>

In [[Tin Shui Wai]], where The Link exercises a near-monopoly on commercial space, the company was criticised by local residents and Legislative Councillors in 2015–16 for planning to convert the Tin Yiu Market into a conventional shopping centre.<ref>{{cite web|title=Conversion of Tin Yiu Market by Link Asset Management Limited|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr15-16/english/panels/hg/papers/hg20151207cb1-230-6-e.pdf|publisher=Legislative Council|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> The market supplies fresh vegetables, meat, and fish to residents of the surrounding public housing estates. The next closest market is 5 to 10 minutes' walk away.

Stall operators at Cheung Fat Estate on [[Tsing Yi]] have gone on strike, in 2010 and 2016, to protest rent increases.<ref name="hkfpcheungfat1"/> By the latter strike it was reported that rents had doubled in ten years. Some local residents stated that they visit a government-run market in Tsuen Wan instead owing to the higher prices at Cheung Fat.<ref name="hkfpcheungfat1"/> The Cheung Fat stall owners also protested the [[outsourcing]] of the market's management to Uni-China (Market) Management Limited, which they feared will lead to untenable rent increases.<ref name="hkfpfeature">{{cite news|last1=Yuen|first1=Chantal|title=Feature: Paranoia and fear in the fight to save Cheung Fat Market|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/24/feature-paranoia-and-fear-in-the-fight-to-save-cheung-fat-market/|work=Hong Kong Free Press|date=24 February 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Leung King Estate Roadblock against hawkers 20160210.jpg|thumbnail|Barriers set up by management at Leung King Estate against hawkers]]
Uni-China (Market) Management also manages the market at Leung King Estate in Tuen Mun, which is also owned by The Link.<ref name="hkfpfeature"/> In February 2016 a group of men dressed in dark jackets with "manager" (管理員) printed on the backs acted in an intimidating manner toward [[Hawkers in Hong Kong|hawkers]] in the area of the shopping centre since 2 February. More than 200 showed up to protest against the men combating hawkers on the night of 8 February. Some minor clashes broke out between the self-proclaimed managers and the protesters, and required mediation by the police.<ref name=20160208hk01>{{cite news|url=http://www.hk01.com/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/6400/-%E6%96%B0%E6%98%A5%E5%B0%8F%E8%B2%A9-%E4%B8%8D%E6%BB%BF%E9%A0%98%E5%B1%95-%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E5%93%A1-%E7%A6%81%E9%8C%AE%E8%89%AF%E6%99%AF%E5%B0%8F%E8%B2%A9-%E5%B8%82%E6%B0%91%E8%81%B2%E6%8F%B4%E7%88%86%E8%A1%9D%E7%AA%81|work=HK01|title=【新春小販】不滿領展「管理員」禁錮良景小販 市民聲援爆衝突|date=8 February 2016}}</ref> Two protesters were arrested and one reporter was injured during the clash.<ref name=mingpao1454961216>{{cite news|url=http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160209/s00001/1454961216461|newspaper=Ming Pao|date=9 February 2016|title=良景邨夜市爆衝突 記者被推倒在地 兩男子被捕}}</ref>

Conflicts between the management and the public reoccurred on the night of 9 February. The men were filmed beating up protesters while police stood by and prevented others from being involved. A reporter was also beaten up by the control team.<ref name=nextmedia54743942>{{cite news|title=惡煞「管理員」暴力趕良景小販 高永文避答|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20160210/54743942|date=10 February 2016|newspaper=Apple Daily}}</ref> A 31-year-old man was arrested for causing disorder in a public place. He allegedly interfered with a worker performing his duties at Leung King Estate. The Link REIT distanced itself from the clashes and denied the hawker control team was part of its staff.<ref name=scmp1911453>{{cite news|title='I will be here until they kill us' – street vendors at Hong Kong estate defiant after simmering unrest turns violent|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1911453/i-will-be-here-until-they-kill-us-street-vendors-hong-kong|date=10 February 2016|newspaper=South China Morning Post|first1=Owen|last1=Fung|first2=Eddie|last2=Lee}}</ref>