Antiques, textile shops among new tenants at Orchard Towers, but persistent vice activities jeopardising makeover bid
Mr Jonathan How and his father, Mr T T How, owners of The Antique Room, a new antiques shop at Orchard Towers.
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- In an attempt to revamp its image, Orchard Towers has been bringing in new businesses selling antiques, carpets and photo frames
- The building is known to be a hot spot for vice activities and its many entertainment outlets, whose entertainment licences expire in July
- Other makeover efforts include plans to repaint the building and clamp down on existing vice activities
- Vice activities happening within and outside its premises present a stumbling block to the building’s rebranding efforts
- Still, the building’s management and new tenants remain hopeful that Orchard Towers can change its image
BY
NUR HIKMAH MD ALI
BYSAKINAH ARIF LIM
Published May 3, 2023Updated May 3, 2023
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SINGAPORE — On the second floor of Orchard Towers by the escalator, among a row of empty units, sits an antique shop filled with paintings, vases and unopened boxes.
Upon entering the shop, one can see rows of various Chinese ceramics lined up inside a glass cabinet and along the walls. It is also hard to miss the heavy scent of wood wafting in the air.
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Mr Jonathan How, 50, one of the co-owners of The Antique Room, said that they had just moved in two weeks ago.
Their rent for the unit comes up to S$6 per square foot, which Mr How said is “very reasonable given its background”.
“We came in with the optimism that Orchard Towers will change,” he told TODAY on Tuesday (May 2), referring to the building’s seedy reputation with its nightclubs and vice activities.
It is this reputation that had prompted the authorities' increased efforts to clamp down on illegal activities in the area in recent years.
On July 15, 2022, owners of Orchard Towers’ public entertainment outlets were told by the police that their licences would not be renewed beyond May 31 this year, and neither would new licences be issued.
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Orchard Towers’ existing public entertainment outlets have since been given an extension of their licences until the end of July.
Several new tenants of the building who spoke to TODAY said they had previously set up shop at Tanglin Shopping Centre but moved out after the shopping centre was involved in an en-bloc exercise.
One such tenant is 68-year-old Peter Ng, owner of photo frames shop Peter’s Frames, who chose the building for its "cheap" rental fees and close proximity to customers living within the vicinity.
Another new tenant, Mr Md Akram, 49, who spent 12 years running his textiles business at Tanglin Shopping Centre, said that he moved to Orchard Towers so that his existing customers could locate him easily since his previous shop is nearby.
Other efforts to improve the building’s image are also underway, said a representative from Orchard Towers’ building management who wanted to be known only as Mr Goh.
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“The management intends to call a tender to give marketing rights to property market agents. The agents will have to propose a common theme for businesses at Orchard Towers,” he said.
“Now that Golden Mile Complex has closed down, perhaps we can have more Thai-themed retailers here at Orchard Towers. That can encourage more businesses that fit the new theme to set up shop here.”
The management also plans to repaint the building in the next two months to give it a fresh look.
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SOME ENTERTAINMENT OUTLETS HAVE SCHEDULED MOVE, OTHERS IN LIMBO
When TODAY visited Orchard Towers on Tuesday, several units that used to house pubs and massage parlours had been vacated and were up for rent, or were undergoing renovation works.According to Mr Goh, some of the units had already been taken up by new businesses, including one selling Persian carpets that is scheduled to move in soon.
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One unit, which was previously rented out for a bar, had been taken up by its neighbouring restaurant, Curry Leaf Multi Cuisine.
The restaurant’s manager, Mr Shahul Hameed, 45, said that the unit now houses the restaurant’s kitchen.
While some of the remaining entertainment outlets have scheduled their move out from the building, others are still deliberating whether to appeal for an extension or vacate.
The manager of a karaoke outlet, GM Exchange, who did not want to be identified, said that it is scheduled to move to Lucky Plaza on May 8.
Meanwhile, some entertainment outlets are still appealing for an extension through the Singapore Nightlife Business Association (SNBA).
The manager of Ipanema World Music Bar, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the bar has signed the tenancy for a new outlet at another location, but remains hopeful that its licence at Orchard Towers will be renewed.
Entertainment club Top 5 is also appealing through SNBA, and has yet to make any concrete plans to move.
The club’s entertainment director, who declined to give his name, said: “We have shortlisted some alternative locations but there are no black-and-white arrangements so far. We hope that our licence can be extended as we have been here for more than two decades and would prefer to stay.”
VICE ACTIVITIES PRESENT BARRIERS TO REBRANDING EFFORT
Orchard Towers' bid to change its image is, however, being jeopardised by persistent vice activities, such as the illegal soliciting of sexual services just outside the building.Mr Goh said this is difficult to curb as the women who illegally solicit sexual services typically loiter around the taxi stand, which is on public property.
“The management has tried to deter this activity by increasing the brightness of the taxi stand area with more lights to make it more visible. Unfortunately, this has backfired and given more attention to the women,” he said.
“We have our guards to patrol the area too but there is nothing they can do since there is no proof that the women are doing anything wrong.”
Another issue, he pointed out, was existing massage parlours which allegedly offer illegal sexual services.
Previously, there were more than 30 massage parlours offering such services, but the number has dwindled down to two, after the management evicted some errant operators, while others have closed shop.
Mr Goh said that the Orchard Towers’ management will continue to monitor the remaining two and take action if necessary.
HIGH HOPES FOR ORCHARD TOWERS’ FUTURE
Nevertheless, the Orchard Towers management and new tenants hold high hopes that the building can revamp its image.“I knew about the building’s bad reputation before I moved in. But now with many massage parlours and entertainment outlets gone, I believe Orchard Towers can change its image,” said Mr Akram.
The assurance given by the management that it would try to bring in more diverse businesses also motivated Mr Ng to make the move, hoping that this will bring more shoppers in.
Still, the tenants are realistic that change will not happen overnight.
“It will take some time for Orchard Towers’ reputation to change. But I am positive that it will change for the better,” said Mr Akram.
