Fancy dining “in a tree” or among endangered plants and flowers? Well, you can do just that when the first phase of the Gardens by the Bay opens next November.

Spanning 9,400 square metres or about 2 football fields, the National Parks Board said the attraction will have 18 food and beverage spaces.

Chilling out in a bar perched on top of one of the 50-metre Supertrees or sample local fare among unusual plants at the Gardens by the Bay.

Gardens by the Bay is now in talks with potential tenants from Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK and Australia to discuss concepts for the restaurants.

Darren Oh, assistant director, Gardens by the Bay, said: “The concepts range from the mid, high end type of restaurant setting. One of it could be a restaurant within the Mediterranean garden. The concept that was being proposed are more of the European and Italian types of concept.

“However, we have also received proposals that are looking into developing a potential Satay Club-like setting next to the water front.”

NParks expects to open the tender for the F&B spaces from September onwards.

Property experts said rentals at Gardens By The Bay could hover around S$6 per square foot, similar to those offered at the Singapore Botanical Gardens or the Alkaff Mansion.

Colin Tan, head of Research and Consultancy, Suntec Chesterton International, said: “At the moment we don’t know what is slated to come on but I think the retail sector especially in the last one and half years have seen triple the amount.

“Rents have been a bit subdued. If we don’t see any substantial developments coming up, maybe we can see about S$10 per square foot.”

Observers said the F&B business at Gardens by the Bay will not directly compete with those at Marina Bay Sands and Marina Barrage as they serve different clientele.

Phase One of the development is expected to draw five million visitors a year when it is completed in end-2011.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 25 Jun 2010