Singapore – With the implementation of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period where dining in is no longer allowed, hawker centres are seeing reduced foot traffic. As a result, they will receive some rental waivers and subsidies amounting to about S$9 million.
“With no dining-in at F&B (food and beverage) establishments during the current phase of heightened alert (and) most people working from home, hawker centres have seen significantly reduced footfall,” said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor in a Facebook post on Saturday (May 22).
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has announced support initiatives to help them tide through the challenging period.
NEA will waive stall rentals by half in May and Jun for around 6,000 cooked food stallholders in the hawker centres managed by NEA or NEA-approved operators.
Furthermore, new cooked food stallholders with tenancies starting on Jun 1 this year will also get the half-month rental waiver, said Dr Khor.
NEA will also subsidise 100 per cent of fees for table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing services for cooked food stallholders during the no dine-in period.
“Let’s support our hawkers by continuing to patronise their stalls through takeaways or food delivery,” said Dr Khor.
She also reminded the public to remember practising safe distancing when queueing for food and to wear a mask at all times to keep hawkers and fellow patrons safe.
“We should also bring reusable containers for takeaways whenever possible,” she added.
According to a Straits Times report, the total amount of the rental waivers is approximately S$5.5 million, while the subsidised fees about S$3.3 million.
“I am very glad that NEA understands the impact prohibited dining-in has on us and (the hawkers) appreciate its swift and timely move to alleviate some of our worries. As stall owners, we will also need to be resilient and adaptable to prepare for future unforeseen circumstances,” said chairman of the Boon Lay Hawkers’ Association, Mr Anthony Low, to ST./TISG
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