F&B tenants worry about giving up outlets

Food and beverage tenants in Gillman Barracks have expressed concern about having to give up their outlets after the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) yesterday launched tenders for their sites.

Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee, Masons and Handlebar wish to stay at the arts cluster off Alexandra Road after their leases expire early next year.

The owners of the F&B outlets said the tenders were a blow, coming just after business started to pick up when Covid-19 restrictions were eased last month.

Two out of six F&B tenants - Naked Finn and BurgerLabo, both owned by Mr Tan Ken Loon under the Naked Finn Group (NFG) - were given direct tenancy.

Five other sites - 5A, 8, 9A and 10 Lock Road, and 45 Malan Road - were launched for tender yesterday. The results are expected to be announced on Sept 30.

Four sites are occupied by Creamier, Masons, Handlebar and Hopscotch. The block at 9A Lock Road is currently vacant.

Mr Rob Coldman, 58, owner of Verve Holdings, which runs Masons restaurant, said: "I'm happy for Naked Finn and BurgerLabo, but I'm shocked that the rest of us have to retender."

The company, which he owns with his wife Karen Yeo, 44, borrowed close to $2 million to cover Masons' operational costs over the past two years.

"We saw it as a worthwhile investment as Masons has been at Gillman Barracks since 2012, so this came as a blow as we thought we'd been through the worst."

Creamier co-founder Khoh Wan Chin, 46, said she had requested direct tenancy but was told the space would be put up for tender if there were interested bidders for the site. "We love the location even though we knew setting up shop there in 2016 was challenging due to low footfall," she said. "All tenants should have been given the same treatment."

Handlebar founder Jan Pek, 53, said her company had forked out about $1.5 million on renovation works. She said: "If we don't get the tender, all our efforts over the past six years would have been wasted."

The Straits Times could not reach Hopscotch for comment. The three F&B establishments will tender for their sites, which will have a longer upfront tenure of five years, renewable for a second term of between two and three years. The tenders are part of SLA's plans to introduce more unique dining experiences and workshops in Gillman Barracks.

Asked why Naked Finn and BurgerLabo received direct tenancy, an SLA spokesman said NFG is well regarded locally for its high-quality cuisine. It also put Singapore in the global culinary spotlight by being included in Essence of Asia's list of 50 best restaurants in 2021, she added.

Mr Tan, 47, said Naked Finn, which has been at Gillman Barracks for about 10 years, sources its own seafood and avoids threatened fish species. On rejuvenation plans, he said: "It's about time for infrastructure upgrading as both my outlets do not have toilets."

Art galleries are looking forward to Gillman Barracks' transformation into a lifestyle enclave. Ms Audrey Yeo, founder of Yeo Workshop, said: "Art can sometimes be perceived as highbrow, so the general public would need an access point into the arts scene, which would be the new F&B and lifestyle options."