Latest news with #SmithStreet
Independent Singapore
27-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Nanyang Old Coffee in dispute with Chinatown Business Association over S$77K in alleged back rent
SINGAPORE: The decades-old Nanyang Old Coffee is being sued by the Chinatown Business Association for more than S$77,000 due to unpaid rental fees for its outside dining area along Smith Street. According to a report from Lianhe Zaobao earlier this week, Nanyang Old Coffee had occupied a sheltered walkway on the street by placing tables and chairs for its customers. The 'cafetaurant' is allegedly supposed to have paid a rental fee of S$8,636.02 per month beginning from Oct 1, 2024, for a total of S$77,724.18, according to a legal letter sent by the Chinatown Business Association, which is a nonprofit entity made up by representatives from businesses and the community and which won a tender to manage the 13 shophouses in Smith Street last year. Nanyang Old Coffee, which has been located at the intersection of South Bridge Road and Smith Street for 15 years, is not among the shophouses managed by the Singapore Business Association. However, the outdoor area in dispute is, based on the tender documents of the Singapore Land Authority at the time, Lianhe Zaobao reported. The association is also seeking S$5,000 in legal fees. Proceeds from the lawsuit would be donated to help the community, it said. It attempted to reach out to Nanyang Old Coffee last October but stated that the establishment did not give its efforts any attention. 'Despite multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably, including a formal letter requesting the removal of furniture and potted plants from the outdoor dining area, the unauthorised use of the space has continued, even so, as of Jun 22. 'As such, the Chinatown Business Association has had to take the necessary steps to address this issue,' it said. The Chinatown Business Association also claimed it offered on multiple occasions to sublet the area to Lim Eng Lam, the founder and manager of Nanyang Old Coffee. The other establishments using the outdoor areas are required to pay a rental fee. Mr Lim has since spoken to CNA, saying that he does not agree with the demand from the Chinatown Business Association regarding the rental issue and is hoping for clarification from the authorities on the matter. CNA added that on Thursday (Jun 26), the two parties met concerning the matter at the State Courts. /TISG Read also: Smith Street revamp: Chinatown businesses strive to preserve culture amidst concerns of gentrification
CNA
26-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Chinatown Business Association sues Nanyang Old Coffee for over S$77,000 in backdated rent for outdoor area
SINGAPORE: The Chinatown Business Association is seeking more than S$77,700 (US$61,000) in backdated rent from Nanyang Old Coffee over its use of an outdoor dining area. The space in question is a sheltered walkway outside Nanyang Old Coffee's flagship outlet, located at the intersection of Smith Street and South Bridge Road. The cafe has set up tables and chairs for its customers in this area, which is now at the centre of a legal dispute. According to a lawyer's letter seen by CNA, the Chinatown Business Association is claiming S$77,724.18 in rent, backdated to Oct 1, 2024, with a monthly rate of S$8,636.02. The association, a non-profit entity comprising business and community representatives, won the tender to manage the Smith Street shophouses in 2024. In a statement, the Chinatown Business Association said it first engaged Nanyang Old Coffee in October 2024 after taking over management of the area. "Unfortunately, our repeated attempts to reach out and follow up were consistently ignored," it said. "Despite multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably, including a formal letter requesting the removal of furniture and potted plants from the outdoor dining area, the unauthorised use of the space has continued, even so, as of Jun 22. "As such, the Chinatown Business Association has had to take the necessary steps to address this issue," it added. The association said it had offered to sublet the space to Nanyang Old Coffee founder and manager Lim Eng Lam, but the offer was not taken up. It said it followed up with Mr Lim three more times in February and March 2025 "but these attempts were ignored". The association added that it was not restricting the cafe's business operations, nor compelling it to become a tenant. However, it stated that rent is required for the use of the space, as was "required of all other tenants". Mr Lim confirmed that the association had been in touch with him over the issue since October last year. He told CNA he disagreed with the rental demand and had sought clarification from the authorities regarding the rent issue. Chinatown Business Association said any proceeds from the lawsuit would be donated. A case conference between both parties was held at the State Courts on Thursday (Jun 26), where both parties were to discuss the matter.
CNA
19-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Some Chinatown businesses see boost in sales with rejuvenation of iconic Smith Street
SINGAPORE: Some local businesses in Chinatown are enjoying a boost in sales - of up to 40 per cent - with the rejuvenation of the iconic Smith Street and a tie-up with the refreshed Chinatown Heritage Centre. Smith Street, located in the Chinatown conservation area, is undergoing a facelift to inject vibrancy and drive greater footfall. More tenants are currently renovating their spaces and will be opening within the next few months. But shop owners told CNA that various challenges remain with rising rental and labour shortage. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Elegance of Nanyang, which sells and rents out kebayas, is among the new shops on Smith Street. Ms Yu Guangning, the boutique's owner and director, said that while she wants to share the local heritage and the art of kebayas with tourists, she faces several challenges including steep rental costs. 'In this location, definitely (rental) is not going to be low. Subsequently, for us, manpower is a challenge. And you need to keep up to have new products, attract staff, to really attract tourists to come to Chinatown,' she added. To help heritage business owners like her, the Chinatown Heritage Centre has in place a series of initiatives to appeal to tourists, including marketing efforts with some of these brands. 'For many of these smaller brands, they may not have the resources or focus as much,' said Cai Yinzhou, executive director of the Chinatown Heritage Centre. 'So we hope to do that with our promotional campaigns with some of these brands and shops, where visitors to our centre with a ticket can enjoy discounts and get subsidised products when they visit these shops.' Another shop on Smith Street, Killiney Kopitiam, is reaping the fruits of the collaboration. Since its opening in March, the traditional coffee shop has seen a 40 per cent rise in sales. Mr Henry Oh, general manager of Killiney International, said: 'By participating in their programmes, we get the community and the tourists to know that we are actually here.' ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS The business owners are also working closely with the Chinatown Business Association, and have urged other heritage shops to do the same. Ms Yu said: 'They organise some workshops for us, to basically let us have a better understanding of the current status of Chinatown as well as to give us some training in social media programmes - so that we are not doing only in the retail shop, but we can also do something online to really make Smith Street popular.' Mr Oh added: 'Heritage is something that if you don't preserve, once you lose it, you lose it forever. So it's very important that we preserve our history and our heritage.' The association told CNA that its aim is for Smith Street to serve as the 'cultural heart' of Chinatown, 'where culinary delights, art and experiences converge, offering visitors a diverse cultural dining and experience in a setting that inspires joy and excitement'. Ms Lim Yick Suan, executive director of Chinatown Business Association, said one of its key roles is to promote the interests of its community stakeholders, including heritage businesses. For instance, it often encourages collaborations between traditional businesses and newer entrants to attract customers, she said. 'We actively work to support these businesses by promoting collaborations, encouraging footfall through events and experiences, and connecting them with relevant partners and resources to stay competitive,' she added.
