East Coast Seafood Centre to be redeveloped, says NParks; Jumbo, Long Beach to move out in Sept
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The Jumbo Seafood outlet at East Coast Seafood Centre, established in 1987, is the restaurant chain's first.
ST PHOTO: SARAH LEE
- East Coast Seafood Centre tenants, including Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach, must vacate by September for NParks' redevelopment to rejuvenate the facility.
- Jumbo Seafood's flagship outlet closes Sept 30, impacting revenue. Long Beach relocates to Coastal PlayGrove; other eateries have already moved or closed.
- The iconic 1980s dining spot's closure evokes nostalgia; staff note emotional goodbyes. NParks plans longer-term park redevelopment, promising future updates.
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SINGAPORE - Tenants at East Coast Seafood Centre, including longstanding establishments such as Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach, have been told to vacate the premises as the area will be redeveloped.
The redevelopment is “part of efforts to rejuvenate the facility and surrounding areas to enhance the experience of park visitors”, said the centre’s landlord, the National Parks Board (NParks).
NParks said this on May 30 in response to media queries, after Jumbo Seafood announced it would shutter its flagship outlet when its lease expires on Sept 30.
Long Beach will relocate to Coastal PlayGrove at East Coast Park, about an eight-minute drive from its current outlet, the restaurant’s senior group manager Ryan Lim told The Straits Times. The new outlet will open in the first week of September.
Several tenants said they were informed by NParks in 2025 that they would have to vacate by the end of their lease in March 2026.
Long Beach will relocate to Coastal PlayGrove at East Coast Park, about an eight-minute drive from its current outlet.
ST PHOTO: SARAH LEE
Lim said NParks had offered tenants a six-month extension until September, adding that only Long Beach and Jumbo Seafood decided to stay on.
“It gave us more time to inform our customers and prepare for the new outlet,” he said.
In a Facebook post on May 30 about the closure of its iconic 39-year-old outlet, Jumbo Group said it was “actively exploring new locations”, adding that the restaurant will offer a series of special promotions leading up to the end of its lease.
NParks noted that East Coast Seafood Centre has been a popular dining destination since its establishment in the 1980s. It said it is studying the redevelopment of the centre in tandem with longer-term plans for the park, and that more information would be shared when ready.
“To give tenants adequate time to make alternative arrangements, NParks had earlier informed tenants that they would need to vacate the premises in 2026,” said the agency, adding that “flexible lease arrangements” were offered to support the tenants’ transition.
The Jumbo Seafood outlet at East Coast Seafood Centre, established in 1987, is the restaurant chain’s first.
The closure of the outlet will likely affect the group’s revenue for the 2027 financial year. It intends to mitigate the impact through revenue from its newer outlets and other existing operations, said the restaurant chain’s parent company, Jumbo Group, as it announced the closure on May 29.
Jumbo Seafood has six other outlets in Singapore, according to the company’s website. It also has outlets in China, South Korea, Thailand and Cambodia.
When ST visited the East Coast Seafood Centre on May 31, only Long Beach and Jumbo Seafood were still operating. Three other sea-facing eateries were shuttered.
Shuttered eateries at East Coast Seafood Centre outlet on May 31.
ST PHOTO: SARAH LEE
A sign on Lux Cove Seafood’s old shopfront said it had on March 20 moved to a new outlet in Scotts Road. In its Instagram posts, a spokesman said the restaurant spent close to a year to renovate its new location, a historic black-and-white bungalow in the Orchard area.
Halal family restaurant Enak Enak’s last day of operation at East Coast Seafood Centre was on Jan 18. It has two other outlets, in Bedok and Yishun, and runs Cafe Santai at another section of East Coast Park.
Online reviews indicate that the last tenant, Ceylonese Crabs, which served Sri Lankan fare, has permanently closed.
Julia Tang, senior manager of Jumbo Seafood at East Coast Seafood Centre, said scores of customers have called and made reservations since news broke of the outlet’s impending closure.
A surprise customer was an elderly woman who had worked at the restaurant more than three decades ago. She paid a visit with her son after hearing the news.
“She said she missed this place and was simply here to reminisce,” said Tang, who has worked at the same outlet for 24 years.
Tang said all staff will be redeployed to the restaurant chain’s other outlets.
It will be difficult to say goodbye to her iconic workplace after two decades of serving customers by the shore, she said, adding with a wistful smile: “Maybe I’ll cry on the last day.”
