Hawkers hope for fewer changes under new Foodfare regime

SINGAPORE — News that five hawker centres will be managed by NTUC Foodfare from next July has led some affected stallholders to wonder about the changes that are in store for them.

While the hawkers were reassured that there would be no change to the way rentals are determined under Foodfare, questions lingered on their minds yesterday: Would rules be imposed on their operating hours, or the days that their stalls had to be open? Would it be troublesome seeking approval for any price adjustments? Would any implementation of cashless payments affect their cashflow and ability to pay suppliers promptly?

“We’ll have to see how the regulations change. If they are largely the same as they were under NEA (National Environment Agency), it should be okay. (The old-timers) have been able to stay on because rentals have been stable,” said Madam Ng Bee Choon, 57, who operates a drinks stall at Blk 51 Old Airport Road, one of the hawker centres affected, and pays subsidised rent of S$192 per month.

Her neighbour, a fishball and mushroom minced meat noodles seller who wanted to be known as Mr Quek, said he would not be able to work more than four or five days a week. In business since 1972, the 70-year-old said he was getting on in age.

The NEA announced on Tuesday that it had appointed Foodfare to manage a bundle of five existing hawker centres and two new ones that will be completed around the middle of next year. Besides the one at Old Airport Road, the other existing centres are at Blk 75 Toa Payoh Lorong 5, Blk 90 Whampoa Drive, Blks 91/92 Whampoa Drive and Blks 104/105 Yishun Ring Road (Chong Pang).

Under the new management, hawkers will have to seek Foodfare’s approval before adjusting prices, The Straits Times reported.

Hawkers told TODAY price adjustments are rare and are the result of costs going up. They hoped the approval process would not be troublesome.

Mr Quek, whose rent is subsidised, said: “Costs are high but the rents are not expensive — that’s how we are able to make a living at all. The prices of soy sauce, chilli and noodles have all gone up by several times (since I started out).” From 70 cents per bowl of fishball noodles in the 1970s, Mr Quek now charges S$3, S$4 or S$5, depending on size of portions.

Hawkers said they were notified of Foodfare’s appointment on Tuesday — although some at Old Airport Road had not heard the news as the hawker centre was closed for cleaning and repairs — and a meeting would be held later.

Hawkers in Whampoa said most of their patrons are senior citizens who feel the pinch when prices increase by 10 or 20 cents. If rentals and prices of raw ingredients remain stable, said noodle seller Huang Yumei, 48, she should be able to maintain prices. Since setting up her stall in 2008, Mdm Huang — who pays about S$1,200 per month in rent and hires two workers — has increased prices once, by 50 cents.

Stallholders said the new management should also recognise the authenticity of hawker centres and value of longtime hawkers.

“We get people as far as Woodlands and Ang Mo Kio flocking here because of the buzz, and because it’s quite well-known (for its food) ... (You don’t) want it to (see it) become just like a food court in Northpoint,” said a Chong Pang dessert stallholder, who only wanted to be known as Mdm Ong, in Mandarin.

Some hawkers hope that cleanliness will improve under Foodfare, given its prior experience.

Asked if Foodfare would impose rules on operating hours, a spokesperson said it will engage stallholders together with the NEA to understand the issues faced, and explore “how operating hours can be enhanced to benefit the stallholders and patrons”.

Foodfare aims to make affordable cooked food available, maintain a clean hawker-centre environment and foster community spirit, she added. “At the same time, we are also committed to keeping the hawker business sustainable for hawkers in our hawker centres,” she said.

Foodfare has been managing the Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre since 2014, and hawkers there were quite happy with the management and cleanliness levels, but said various issues could be better handled.

While Foodfare staff conduct regular checks for cleanliness, some lack experience, said Madam Karen Lim, 50, who works at a BBQ chicken rice stall. “They come in at the most busy times and keep checking ... It creates a lot of inconvenience,” she said.