Violence dragging HK into 'chilly winter', says Lam

She also called for more support, especially from shop owners and developers, to help and support affected tenants.

The CE also expressed the hope that Legislative Council meetings could resume as scheduled on Oct 16 to deliberate stalled bills, including livelihood projects worth more than HK$100 billion.

On Tuesday, LegCo announced that repair work is nearing completion, three months after mass vandalism by rioters on July 1.

The rioters' extreme acts, which caused extensive impact on people's livelihood and daily lives, also draw opposition from local residents.

A Hong Kong resident surnamed Lau said Hong Kong's tourism sector has taken a hit from the incessant violent protests. At 45, Lau works in the service industry, saying the drop in tourist numbers has resulted in one out of four newsstands winding up their businesses on a street where her friend makes a living.

Sometimes, they had to close their shutters early because of violent protests, Lau said.

Most newsstand owners are in their 60s or 70s, making it almost impossible for them to find a new job and support themselves, Lau said. Despite being able to keep the business float, her friend's income has dwindled — just enough to scrape out a living, she added.

Xu, who owns a business in the food and beverage industry, told China Daily that his business earnings have been severely affected in recent months.

His company used to make a monthly revenue of HK$4 million, but now generates less than HK$1 million, Xu revealed, adding that most companies in the industry were living beyond their means.

The pressure from utilities' bills and rent has always been considerably high in Hong Kong, but was now worse, he said.