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[h=2]Hawkers votes ‘no’ to convert wet market after NEA wants rental hike[/h]
October 30th, 2012 |
Author: Editorial
The Holland Village Market and Food Centre was upgraded in 2005, but business has not been as good as the stall owners have hoped for.
In August last year, over 20 hawkers petitioned the National Environment Agency (NEA) to convert the wet market section into food stalls, making the Holland Village Market and Food Centre completely into a food centre only. The centre is operated by NEA.
The hawkers hoped that with the revamp, it would help improve business for everyone there.
However, NEA told them that with the conversion, there would be a rise in rental thereafter.
The hawkers then changed their mind about turning the wet market section into food stalls.
64% of the 33 hawkers at the market section are now saying “no” to the conversion plan.
Ang Siew Hoe, an auditor with the Holland Village Market Hawker Association, said, “We voted against the plan after the authorities said there’d be a rise in rent. Also, based on the new guidelines, we can’t assign someone else to run the stall or sublet it, so we find it better for the centre to retain its status quo.”
Last month, hawkers at the Holland Village Market and Food Centre were up in arms when NEA announced that the cleaning fees charged to the stallholders will increase by 156% from $240 to $614 a month. The hawkers have gone to see their MP, Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing for help (‘Hawkers upset at cleaning fee hikes by NEA‘).
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In August last year, over 20 hawkers petitioned the National Environment Agency (NEA) to convert the wet market section into food stalls, making the Holland Village Market and Food Centre completely into a food centre only. The centre is operated by NEA.
The hawkers hoped that with the revamp, it would help improve business for everyone there.
However, NEA told them that with the conversion, there would be a rise in rental thereafter.
The hawkers then changed their mind about turning the wet market section into food stalls.
64% of the 33 hawkers at the market section are now saying “no” to the conversion plan.
Ang Siew Hoe, an auditor with the Holland Village Market Hawker Association, said, “We voted against the plan after the authorities said there’d be a rise in rent. Also, based on the new guidelines, we can’t assign someone else to run the stall or sublet it, so we find it better for the centre to retain its status quo.”
Last month, hawkers at the Holland Village Market and Food Centre were up in arms when NEA announced that the cleaning fees charged to the stallholders will increase by 156% from $240 to $614 a month. The hawkers have gone to see their MP, Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing for help (‘Hawkers upset at cleaning fee hikes by NEA‘).
.
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