Published
on Dec 1, 2011
The leases on the businesses surrounding the McDonald's outlet at
East Coast Park will lapse in March, but some tenants of the
recreation and food and beverage outlets want out earlier.
At least five tenants of Marine Cove, as the area is called, say
they have written to their landlord, the National Parks Board
(NParks), to ask for an early termination of their leases. Three
others say they will do so soon. Some have already called it
quits.
This is an about-turn from a year ago, when many of the area's 32
tenants were fighting to stay and had by then wrangled three lease
extensions, the last of which was to take them up to March next
year.
LOSING MONEY
'I'm losing a lot of money. I want to close down as early as I can.
The communal areas here are just filthy. Who wants to come
here?'
Mr Amas Tan, 54, owner of Marine Bowl, who says business
has dipped by half in the last six months.
Tenants who spoke to The Straits Times said they changed their
minds about staying because maintenance of the place has lapsed and
the buildings are falling into disrepair.
Every weekend so crowded, how to lose money?
Every time I go there, I have to fight for space to cycle or
roller blade. 
