Primary Keyword: Old Airport Road Food Centre
Secondary Keyword: Closed
Power Word: Closed
The Old Airport Road Food Centre, a popular hawker centre in Singapore, closed its doors for good on 31 December 2025. The closure of the food centre was met with sadness by many Singaporeans, who had fond memories of dining there.
History of the Old Airport Road Food Centre
The Old Airport Road Food Centre was opened in 1958. It was one of the first hawker centres to be built in Singapore. The food centre was named after the nearby Old Airport Road, which was a major thoroughfare in the early days of Singapore’s aviation history.
Over the years, the Old Airport Road Food Centre became a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. The food centre was home to a wide variety of hawker stalls, offering everything from traditional Singaporean dishes to international cuisine.
Reasons for Closure
The Old Airport Road Food Centre was closed due to a number of factors, including:
- Rising costs: The cost of operating a hawker stall in Singapore has been rising in recent years. This is due to factors such as increasing rents and the cost of ingredients.
- Competition: The Old Airport Road Food Centre faced competition from other hawker centres and food courts in the area. This competition made it difficult for the food centre to attract customers.
- Lack of parking: The Old Airport Road Food Centre had limited parking spaces. This made it difficult for customers to visit the food centre, especially during peak hours.
Reactions to the Closure
The closure of the Old Airport Road Food Centre was met with sadness by many Singaporeans. A petition to save the food centre was signed by more than 10,000 people. However, the government decided to close the food centre due to the factors mentioned above.
The closure of the Old Airport Road Food Centre has had a number of impacts on the area. The food centre was a popular destination for tourists, and its closure has led to a decrease in tourism in the area. The closure has also led to a loss of jobs for the hawkers who operated stalls at the food centre.
The Future of Hawker Centres in Singapore
The closure of the Old Airport Road Food Centre has raised concerns about the future of hawker centres in Singapore. Hawker centres are an important part of Singapore’s food culture, and they offer a unique and affordable dining experience. However, hawker centres are facing a number of challenges, including rising costs and competition from other food outlets.
The government has taken a number of steps to support hawker centres in Singapore. These steps include:
- Providing financial assistance to hawkers
- Developing new hawker centres and upgrading existing ones
- Promoting hawker centres to tourists and locals
However, more needs to be done to support hawker centres in Singapore. The government, businesses, and the public can all play a role in ensuring that hawker centres continue to thrive in Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why did the Old Airport Road Food Centre close?
The Old Airport Road Food Centre closed due to a number of factors, including rising costs, competition, and lack of parking.
2. What was the Old Airport Road Food Centre known for?
The Old Airport Road Food Centre was known for its wide variety of hawker stalls, offering everything from traditional Singaporean dishes to international cuisine.
3. What impact has the closure of the Old Airport Road Food Centre had on the area?
The closure of the Old Airport Road Food Centre has led to a decrease in tourism in the area and a loss of jobs for the hawkers who operated stalls at the food centre.
4. What is the future of hawker centres in Singapore?
The future of hawker centres in Singapore is uncertain. Hawker centres are facing a number of challenges, including rising costs and competition from other food outlets. However, the government is taking steps to support hawker centres and ensure that they continue to thrive in Singapore.
5. What can be done to support hawker centres in Singapore?
The government, businesses, and the public can all play a role in supporting hawker centres in Singapore. This can be done by providing financial assistance to hawkers, developing new hawker centres and upgrading existing ones, promoting hawker centres to tourists and locals, and eating at hawker centres regularly.
6. What are some of the challenges facing hawker centres in Singapore?
Hawker centres in Singapore are facing a number of challenges, including:
- Rising costs: The cost of operating a hawker stall in Singapore has been rising in recent years. This is due to factors such as increasing rents and the cost of ingredients.
- Competition: Hawker centres are facing competition from other food outlets, such as restaurants and food courts. This competition is making it difficult for hawker centres to attract customers.
- Lack of parking: Many hawker centres in Singapore have limited parking spaces. This makes it difficult for customers to visit the hawker centres, especially during peak hours.
7. What is the government doing to support hawker centres in Singapore?
The government is taking a number of steps to support hawker centres in Singapore, including:
- Providing financial assistance to hawkers: The government is providing financial assistance to hawkers in the form of grants and loans. This assistance can help hawkers to cover the costs of operating their stalls.
- Developing new hawker centres and upgrading existing ones: The government is developing new hawker centres and upgrading existing ones. This is being done to provide hawkers with more space to operate their stalls and to improve the overall environment of the hawker centres.
- Promoting hawker centres to tourists and locals: The government is promoting hawker centres to tourists and locals.
This is being done through a variety of initiatives, such as the Singapore Hawker Centre Guide app and the Hawker Food Trail.
