After two years of closure, Jurong West Hawker Centre will finally reopen in the 3rd Quarter of 2023.
The food centre reportedly closed down in Aug 2020, with the operator citing low footfall and empty stalls.
Incorporating results from a resident survey, the revamped food centre will feature more hawker stalls and seats than its predecessor.
On Thursday (26 Jan), NEA announced that Jurong West Hawker Centre is slated to reopen in the third quarter of 2023.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Following the food centre’s closure in Aug 2020, officers from NEA and the People’s Association surveyed more than 2,000 residents living in Boon Lay, Nanyang, and Pioneer.
In the survey, most respondents apparently indicated their preference for cooked food stalls over market stalls.
As such, NEA has decided to increase the number of cooked food stalls from 34 to 39. Additionally, there will be 580 seats for patrons — about 100 more than 479 previously.
As 95% of respondents indicated their preference to get groceries from other markets or nearby supermarkets, the 14 market stalls from the previous centre will not be returning.
In addition, NEA will relocate the escalators and staircases at the front of the food centre in order to enhance the building’s visibility.
The carpark’s entry and exit points will also be moved to allow for more cooked food stalls.
NEA has appointed JW 50 Hawker Heritage as the new operator of the revamped food centre.
JW 50 Hawker Heritage’s proposal was reportedly the most robust among the tenderers.
The proposal included having the second level offer international cuisine in addition to festive food, ready-to-cook, and ready-to-eat products.
Their average monthly rent for stallholders was also the lowest among all the proposals, said NEA.
In addition, their parent company, Chang Cheng Mee Wah Food, has experience in managing food establishments like coffee shops, which might prove useful in helping to attract tenants to the new food centre.
JW 50 Hawker Heritage has also proposed the implementation of a culinary innovation accelerator programme, which will help hawkers – both existing and budding – acquire skills through subsidised training workshops.
The programme will also provide them with access to food companies and mentors, in addition to offering them competitively priced raw and intermediate food supplies.
Another proposed programme will allow aspiring hawkers to run their businesses at pre-fitted stalls with reduced rentals for a period of 12 months.
Former stallholders from the old centre will also be given the option to return if they wish to do so, NEA mentioned.
The agency had offered 18 stallholders vacant stalls at other NEA-managed hawker centres and markets before the closure in 2020.
We hope the revamped centre will better fit nearby residents’ needs and will turn out to be more successful than its predecessor.
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Featured image adapted from Eatbook.
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