Vendors at this year’s Wine and Dine Festival said on Friday that they hope the weather doesn't dampen business over the weekend.

A storm that prompted the observatory to issue a No 1 signal is expected to come within 500 kilometres of Hong Kong on Saturday morning.

Jeremy Li from a local gin brand said his business mainly welcomed locals in the first two days of the festival.

He told RTHK that the weather will play a part in how well they do over the weekend.

“Last year was the first year we joined the Wine and Dine [Festival], the weekend was really, really packed and busy,” he told RTHK.

“Hopefully if the weather is nice, I guess [business] should be good [this weekend] too.”

Kit Leung, a merchant in the newly designated zone featuring British products, is also hoping for good weather.

“[Our business] depends on the typhoon. We are looking at the sky,” he said.

The annual festival kicked off on Wednesday and will last for five days, instead of the usual four.