More heartland shopkeepers satisfied with their business: Khaw Boon Wan

More heartland shopkeepers are satisfied with their business according to the 2012 annual Housing Board (HDB) survey of heartland shopkeepers, wrote National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan (above) on Tuesday, Aug 6, 2013, in a blog post. -- ST FI
More heartland shopkeepers are satisfied with their business according to the 2012 annual Housing Board (HDB) survey of heartland shopkeepers, wrote National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan (above) on Tuesday, Aug 6, 2013, in a blog post. -- ST FILE PHOTO: JOYCE FANG 

More heartland shopkeepers are satisfied with their business according to the 2012 annual Housing Board (HDB) survey of heartland shopkeepers, wrote National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Tuesday in a blog post.

Nearly two in three shopkeepers said they were satisfied with their business in 2012, up from 54 per cent the year before.

Medical and dental clinics led the pack with a 90 per cent satisfaction rate. On the other end of the scale were religious and geomancy shops, with a 44 per cent satisfaction rate.

Among the 2,659 shopkeepers surveyed, about a third were HDB shop tenants, a fifth were sold shop owners and the rest were sub-tenants. Almost half the shops were located in neighbourhood centres. Another 32.8 per cent were precinct shops and 18.9 were in town centres.

One in four shopkeepers expected their business to improve in the next six months. 23.1 per cent said it would worsen - down from the 32 per cent who said the same in 2011.

"HDB shops perform important social functions. Besides creating jobs for local residents, they provide daily convenience for our heartlanders and help to keep the cost of living affordable. HDB will do its best to help the shopkeepers perform their social functions," Mr Khaw said on his blog on Tuesday.

He also urged shopkeepers to take advantage of HDB's schemes such as the Revitalisation of Shops scheme, where HDB partially funds the upgrading of shops and their promotional events for attracting crowds.

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