More restaurants, supermarkets are opened 24
hours
SINGAPORE: The word "nightlife" may no longer be
associated with just clubbing in Singapore, if the growing trend of
24-hour grocery shops and restaurants is anything to go
by.
Singaporeans are shopping not just late at night but past
midnight.
24-hour retail operator 7-Eleven opened 35 outlets this year, while
NTUC FairPrice has established five 24-hour outlets since last
year.
Some operators say their revenue from operating in the night has
increased by 20 per cent in the past year, but they say it is still
difficult to find workers for the night shifts.
Said Peter Loke, operation manager at Shop N Save: "The main thing
is the staffing problem. Because it is operating in the night, it
is quite difficult to get people to work long hours in the
night."
23 out of its 49 outlets are now operating 24 hours, but Shop N
Save has no intention to convert all its outlets to operate round
the clock.
Restaurants are also staying open past their conventional opening
hours.
Han's restaurants now has four outlets opened round the clock, and
another is set to open next month.
Location is an important criteria in deciding where to open a
24-hour restaurant.
Said Han Choon Fook, managing director of Han's Restaurant: "We
have a few outlets in CBD, office area, doing very well in daytime,
but I doubt (they will do as well) at night. But in neighbourhood
areas like HDB, or even private neighbourhoods, I believe there is
a good chance to go in."
Industry players also point out human traffic flow and availability
of night-shift workers in the area as crucial factors when deciding
to open 24-hour shops.
- CNA/yb