Chinatown Food Street Closes Down
What does it mean when an iconic food area closes down, 20 years after it’s inception, and designated in a historic heritage area that used to be bustling with tourists, such as Chinatown?
That’s the question many asked when Chinatown Food Street, run by Select Group, announced that they had closed down due to lack of income, and issues of rent in the wake of COVID-19 and the changes in restrictions happening again and again.
In the Straits Times, STB director of arts and cultural precincts Lim Shoo Ling responded to queries, saying that the authority had worked closely with Select Group to put in place various support measures.
These included rental waivers for the hawkers, as well as additional financial support for the food street’s marketing efforts, said Ms Lim.
“We will continue to work closely with the relevant agencies to explore options for the site, and more details will be shared in due course,” she added.
It’s yet another business that’s fallen to the wrath of COVID-19 due to the lack of tourism, and worrying, considering it was a F&B establishment that hosted multiple businesses and food choices. Much of the year has been tiring and dreary for the F&B community at large, which has been affected multiple times due to the changing restrictions, the number of people allowed in and out, the lack of tourists, and the changing buying patterns of locals in Singapore due to COVID-19.
It is clearly a sad time for us, and for those of us who have, in the last 20 years, grown up with Chinatown Food Street, and have had cherished memories behind it, maybe we can take the opportunity to just reminisce and enjoy those memories.
