Singapore heat and haze keep diners away: Hawker centres see drop in crowds due to weather

SINGAPORE: The hot weather and haze in Singapore have kept people from going outdoors, resulting in less foot traffic at public hawker centres. As reported by Shin Min Daily News, stall owners admitted that their businesses had dropped by about 20%, and some are preparing to wear face masks and reduce their supplies if the situation worsens.

A 59-year-old food stall owner at Newton Food Centre stated in an interview that the weather has been really hot for the past few weeks, coupled with poor air quality, which is related to fewer people dining out. He also admitted that he and his employees would wear masks to somehow reduce the impact of the haze. 

According to recent data, the air pollution index across the country ranged from 70 to 88, which is considered moderate, and the local haze situation has eased slightly. However, hawker centres are still somewhat affected by this. 

Another food stall owner, a 70-year-old, shared that usually, parents would bring their children to the food centre to eat after school hours. However, due to the poor air quality recently, some parents have decided to go straight home. 

“The recent hot weather, coupled with the haze, has reduced the number of customers at the stalls by at least 20% to 30%. Some diners prefer to eat in places with air conditioning and better ventilation,” a food vendor declared. 

If the flow of people continues to decrease in the next couple of days, the vendors will need to adjust the amount of ingredients that they need to prepare to reduce losses caused by unsold products. 

Due to the haze in the country, people are recommended to wear N95 masks if prolonged outdoor exposure is unavoidable. Furthermore, do not hesitate to seek medical assistance if you experience symptoms such as wheezing or a whistling sound when you breathe, shortness of breath during light activity or at rest, chest tightness or a feeling of pressure in the chest, and eye redness, pain, or discharge that does not improve despite staying indoors or after rinsing with water. 

To know more about how to protect yourself from the haze in Singapore, read here.