Sungei Road to Golden Mile Tower roof car park

FireIce SG

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for Sungei Road Thieves' Market hawkers

There was an article back in 2015 where an unnamed peddler at the Sungei Road Thieves' Market told the writer: "We are all poor people here. There is nothing much we can do. The Government will not listen to us."

This was in response to the National Environment Agency’s initial rejection of relocation proposals back then. Prior to that in 2011, the market had shrunk to half its size to pave the way for the new Sungei Road MRT station. Fast forward to 2017, we are now gobsmacked that the inevitable closure of the eight-decade-old market has happened. But there might still be hope for the vendors yet.

Vintage Flea Market by The Retro Factory announced just after midnight last night (Jul 11) that they will be working with the president of the Association for the Recycling of Second Hand Goods, Koh Eng Koon, to bring vendors over to the now-iconic Golden Mile Tower roof car park this weekend.

Gary Tan, coordinator of The Retro Factory (they are a "group of vintage collector friends who support the arts and vintage heritage culture") told us that “there is an estimated 60-80 original vendors out of 200 or so who are contemplating” to move over. Rentals are currently $5 a day for association members, with a $100 security deposit. Additionally, there’ll be 12 extra booths reserved for artists, musicians, craftspeople or anyone who wishes to sell their pre-loved goods.

Facing "real financial destitution", Koh said in the lead-up to the closure that there has been "no real alternative to turn to". Local community group Save Sungei Road Market had also chipped in and tried to propose other possible sites for the vendors to move to. Meanwhile, NEA has offered vendors lock-up stalls with a 50 percent rebate on market rental for two years to aid in the transition. But even with that, many aren't able to afford the daunting rental overheads and monthly bills, which is why they set up shop in Singapore’s only free hawking zone.

Hopefully, this initiative will be a shining beacon of hope for the many elderly who have been hawking at the market for decades. More importantly, at least a part of Singapore’s heritage can continue to live on, even if just for a moment.

FireIce SG

Sungei Road market’s planned comeback at the rooftop carpark of Golden Mile Tower has hit a snag, with carpark owner LHN Group saying it has second thoughts about renting the space to the vendors.

No formal agreement was struck, an LHN Group spokesman said.

He said things were only at the discussion stage.

Yet, the market’s association hired a contractor to start demarcating vendor lots on the sixth floor of the carpark on Tuesday (July 11) without its permission, he said.

LHN Group has since lodged a police report for what it described as an act of vandalism. The police confirmed that a report was filed on Wednesday (July 12).

The Straits Times understands that the complaint pertains to the contractor painting the carpark floors without authorisation.

The LHN Group spokesman said: “Yes, there is interest on our part (to rent the space out as a flea market) but we have yet to agree on anything and they assumed they can move in and use the place on Saturday (July 15).”

He added that the market’s association also needs to apply for permits from the relevant government agencies such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

The URA told The Straits Times on Wednesday night it has yet to receive any application. Separately, the applicant will need to obtain clearances from technical agencies (such as Singapore Civil Defence Force on fire safety) as well as the development’s Management Corporation Strata Title before it can use the space.

In general, it takes about 10 working days to process change-of-use applications, URA added.

And even if the authorities grant approval, the LHN Group spokesman said it will now “have to think about it (going through with the arrangement)”. It might be best to “cool off for a while”, he said.

“With all the public interest in saving the market, what’s going to happen if we later ask them to leave?”

All this means the hawkers’ hopes of reopening the market at the potential new venue on Saturday are highly unlikely to materialise.

On Monday (July 10), the Sungei Road market’s chairman, Mr Koh Eng Khoon, announced at a press conference following the hawking zone’s closing ceremony that it had made arrangements for vendors to start selling their wares at the carpark from Saturday.

He provided details such as the size of each lot and the $10,000 monthly fee it would cost to rent the space. The URA also said then that “planning approval is required before the commencement of use” of the rooftop carpark.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Wednesday, Mr Koh said he and Dr Woon Tien Wei from the Save Sungei Road Market group met three LHN Group representatives on Tuesday.

He also confirmed that no written agreement was signed.

Mr Koh added that he has met the company two other times – once in late June and last Wednesday (July 5).

“I understood that up to that point, our discussions with the management were a verbal agreement, with the understanding that URA’s approval is needed before vendors can open shop.”

On the lot demarcation, he admitted: “I didn’t inform them that workers would be drawing out the lots, so that is my fault.”

FireIce SG

Sungei Road vendors unable to sell their goods since the flea market closed a week ago have been asked to consider a temporary location at a pasar malam in Sembawang.

Association chairman Koh Eng Khoon, 76, has negotiated room for them at the bazaar, beside Sembawang MRT station, which opened on Sunday and will run for two weeks.

This is while he tries to move the vendors to a new permanent site at the Golden Mile Tower carpark. About half of the 200 vendors have expressed interest in the move.

That plan has not been approved even though the association sent a contractor to demarcate lots in the rooftop carpark a week ago.

A formal agreement has yet to be reached with Golden Mile Tower carpark owner LHN Group.

The association will also need approval from government agencies such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Mr Koh said vendors were still deciding whether or not to take up the pasar malam spots.

"It gives them a chance to sell their things even though it is just a temporary solution," he said.

Vendors who choose to sell their wares at the pasar malam will begin business tomorrow.

Former Sungei Road vendor Fung Yew Seng, who has set up shop at Chinatown Market, wondered if the fit would be right.

"It is quite far and they have to take the effort to set up their stalls there, only to move once the pasar malam closes," he said. "Young people at the pasar malam might also not be interested in the second-hand goods they have."

TNP