Monday, December 7, 2009

Victoria Street Wholesale Centre to relocate in 2011

The Victoria Street Wholesale Centre will relocate in 2011, and most of the dry food shopkeepers will be moving to the new location.

And the market’s merchant association hopes the move will help revamp the market’s image.

Construction of the new Victoria Street Wholesale Centre will start in April next year and is expected to finish in late 2011 or early 2012.

The new 8-storey building will be situated along Kallang Road and on a plot almost half the size of the current location.

Two levels will be set aside for shop space – enough to take in up to 60 tenants.

The Victoria Street Wholesale Centre Merchants’ Association said two other levels will be set aside for parking, another three will be for cargo storage, and the roof will serve as a leisure area.

Aside from being a one-stop wholesale centre, the association hopes the new building will help build up a new image.

“We can act as the middleman and introduce our products to different countries. And if possible, we’ll try to organise education trips with schools,” said Mario Chua Wui Neng, chairman of the Victoria Street Wholesale Centre Merchants’ Association.

Although the new building is not as strategically located as the current one, shopkeepers are confident it will continue to draw in customers.

“It’s very convenient – over at the new place, you can choose from 20 to 30 different stores,” said Derrick Tan, a shopkeeper at Victoria Street Wholesale Market.

And despite the move, the association said the wholesale centre will continue to keep its name.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 7 Dec 2009

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