Stallholders fear seating capacity cuts as dine-in curbs ease

While stallholders at hawker centres and coffee shops cheer the move to allow fully vaccinated household members to eat out in groups of up to five by the end of the month, some expressed concerns about overall reduced capacity and complex seating arrangements.

Mr Vincent Goh, 60, the association chairman at Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre in Jurong East Street 24, told The Straits Times that the overall capacity of the hawker centre will likely be reduced to accommodate a mix of two-and five-person tables while adhering to safe distancing measures.

Currently, only fully vaccinated people can dine at hawker centres alone or in pairs.

"Our hawker centre was built more than 30 years ago, so all the 300-something tables are quite close to one another. If you have a table for five people, the next table will probably be closed because it is too near," he said.

"If there are already fewer tables available and two people decide to sit at a five-person table, what can we do?" said Mr Goh, who runs a hawker stall selling bee hoon.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health said it is working with operators to implement vaccination-differentiated measures in hawker centres and coffee shops.

Diners will need to check in via SafeEntry.

The first group of hawker centres to have access control and checking systems will begin taking in groups of up to five diners from the same household before the end of the month, said the ministry without giving details.

Mr Thya Boon Hin, 55, chairman of the Marine Parade Merchants' Association, said it would be better for business if patrons were limited to groups of two as overall capacity will be higher, but acknowledged that the expansion to five household members will benefit many families.

The association oversees the 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre, where Mr Thya runs a fruit juice stall.

"After all, hawker centres serve the community, so if people want to sit and eat with their household members, we have to cater to that," he said.

However, not all hawker centres may face the same issue.

For instance, Yuhua Market and Hawker Centre in Jurong East Avenue 1 has around 150 tables, which are more spaced out for the elderly and wheelchair users after a major renovation a few years ago.

Its association chairman, Madam Karney Ngai, 71, said most of the tables will likely be available for use, subject to capacity limit.

Coffee shops may also face similar challenges in juggling the mix of two-and five-person tables, although on a smaller scale.

Mr Chew Zhi Jie, 30, owner of Jiao Cai Seafood, a zi char stall in a coffee shop in Woodlands Street 31, said coffee shops can likely rearrange tables to accommodate patrons while following safe distancing rules, although overall seating capacity may still be slightly reduced.

"During peak lunch and dinner hours, there might be a jam or people have to wait for tables, but it's a good problem," said Mr Chew.

Stallholders, especially those selling seafood and zi char dishes that lean towards communal dining, are relieved to hear of the easing of dining restrictions.

Mr Pang Seng Meng, 67, founder of New Ubin Group, said: "Any easing is a step in the right direction, although the challenge is to give coffee shop operators the time to organise a plan to check the diners' status and home address."

Ms Nur Julia, 61, who runs Julia BBQ at Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre, said she is unsure how the new rules will affect business, although she welcomes the move.

"I'm glad we will soon be able to see families eating together. Seeing grandparents and grandchildren eat at separate tables, even though they live under the same roof, is quite sad."

However, she hopes the authorities will deploy more safe distancing ambassadors and enforcement officers on the ground to do the mandatory checks, instead of having stallholders do the job.

Mr Anthony Tang, 65, who runs Ah Eng Hor Fun at Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre, echoed similar sentiments, adding: "I hope the authorities can run more checks because people may flout the rules and sit together, even though they don't live together, but we as stallholders are in no position to tell them not to."