'Tis less bright this Christmas in Orchard Rd - but that's all right to some

Many shoppers have not warmed up to the Christmas light-up and mall decorations in Orchard Road this year, with some bemoaning that they fall short of the year-end spectacle which Singapore's premier shopping belt is known for.

But others appreciate the no-frills look and simple decorations amid the pandemic, which has hit retailers hard, forcing them to cut back on festive trimmings.

Orchard Road has also done away with street-level activities such as pop-up stores and performances, owing in part to safe distancing measures.

For some shoppers like Ms Vivian Ma, the lights are not captivating enough to tempt her to the shopping street.

Ms Ma, 30, a customer service adviser, said she would not venture there even to take photos of the lights if she were not working in the area.

While she likes the gold and white baubles dangling from the trees, she described the light-up as "hastily put together" and the blue-and-white colour theme as "mismatched".

In the "simple is better" camp are some shoppers like Mr Samuel Ang, 18, who finds this year's decorations "less commercialised" than the Disney-themed light-up two years ago.

But comparing it with the Deepavali light-up in Little India, the student said Orchard Road's is not as vibrant.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Orchard Road Business Association said yesterday: "While we understand that good design is subjective, we are heartened to know it has brought festive cheer to most, especially now, when the nation is tackling the Covid-19 pandemic."

Mr Amos Tan, senior lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic's School of Business, said a reluctance to be seen as "overspending in difficult times" could have deterred Orchard Road retailers from splurging on festive decorations.

This is also evident in light-ups elsewhere - the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (Lisha) cut the budget for the Deepavali light-up and related activities by 30 per cent this year.

Mr Rajakumar Chandra, Lisha's chairman, said that funding for the light-up in Little India came from the Singapore Tourism Board, partners of Lisha, and the businesses that are part of the association.

"Due to Covid-19, our members were not able to contribute as much money as before... We are, however, not compromising on the experience," he said.

Retail sales have taken a beating this year, with the latest government figures showing that for the eight months since February, monthly retail sales, excluding motor vehicles, were down from a year ago.

Mr Lucas Tok, digital marketing and branding lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, said that malls may also be holding back due to safe distancing measures which limit the number of people within retail outlets and dining establishments.

"Even if they go all out to spend, the return is not guaranteed (given the limitations)," he said.

A mall decorator who declined to be named let on that in previous years, Orchard Road malls would have engaged his company's design services by June, but this year, some of them did so only last month.

"With Singapore's reopening staggered in phases, many of the malls were uncertain about when they could welcome shoppers back again and how strict safe distancing restrictions would be," he added.

The short contract notice also means that his company has less time to set up the decorations.

"Even now, some malls have yet to put up their Christmas decorations completely," he said.