Newton Food Centre revamp: hawkers will give way to vending machines

By: Obbana Rajah

The food centre at Newton Circus will soon have to bid goodbye to all of its hawkers and their stalls.

This is part of a move to both improve and modernise the location.

Come 2019, it is aimed for all the food stalls to be replaced with high-tech vending machines, in a move specially designed to integrate technology into a place known to be plagued by touting, overcrowding and often overcharging.

While the exact date for the revamp has not been fixed, it is aimed for the work to begin in the middle of next year.

The National Environment Agency (NEA), which manages hawker centres and markets, is not new to complaints of gross overcharging and touting at Newton Food Centre. In an attempt to reduce these problems, increase the tourist-appeal of the food centre, while maintaining the charm of a steaming hot plate of sambal stingray, it has been decided that a system of vending machines will be implemented.

While it is expected for many to protest against this change, foodies here need not fret as there are plans to have as many types of foods as served at the hawker centre to make their way into these vending machines.

In the press release, it was even mentioned that there will be an international section featuring cuisines from all around Asia, including dishes such as Tandoori prawns from India, Ayam Penyet from Indonesia and Philippine’s famous crayfish dish, Folo Lirpa!

LOL! This is an April Fool’s Day joke!