I'm no shopping mall expert, but...

[JR8]

I love how all of the roads are named after British men

[aster]

Carteki, I don't go to malls on weekends so not sure what it's like then, but during the week you can see just how empty it is compared to the likes of Plaza Singapura or Vivo.

[Strong Eagle]

I love how all of the roads are named after British men

Singapore is one of the few places in Asia that did not undertake to rename all its roads and features after the British left. The powers that be felt that it gave the place a sense of history. So sure, there's English, and Malay, and Chinese, and Dutch, a bunch of others as well.

[carteki]

Carteki, I don't go to malls on weekends so not sure what it's like then, but during the week you can see just how empty it is compared to the likes of Plaza Singapura or Vivo.

The answer to that is simple - have you seen how many office blocks are nearby Plaza Sing and Vivo? As with all decisions it is LOCATION LOCATION and yes LOCATION.

[JR8]

Nah.... the powers that be were too busy opening up their Swiss bank accounts



Ooh-er, can I say that!?

[beppi]

Sim Lim DOES have a food court in the basement - although after the North Indian stall changed owners a few years back there is no reason any more to go there ... (I still miss the old Butter Chicken!)

[JR8]

Old Butter Chicken



Don't like the sound of that much

[carteki]

Nah.... the powers that be were too busy opening up their Swiss bank accounts

In Africa we've managed to do both.

[JR8]

What open up the Swiss accounts AND pay yourselves millions a year.

Miraculous how this happens...

[Loops]

It's a shame that Orchard Central is so rubbish but it's badly designed and apparently is owned by the same people who run the Clarke Quay central which is also badly designed, has rubbish shops and is not a particularly good mall.

I'm not sure what they're trying to achieve with Orchard Central but it's empty most of the time, the only shops I've been to in there are the two coffee shops. The Mediterranean section in the basement could be lovely but it's also rubbish - I think they were hoping that the link to Centrepoint would be a big draw but without escalators and lifts to make it more accessible to more people, they're facing a losing battle. The Med shops are almost all still empty.

The trouble with many Singapore malls is that they think they're going to get lots of high-end tourists here but the truth is that the majority of tourists are normal people who would be happy with cheap to mid-range clothes shops, shops selling tourist trinkets and cheap but exciting looking bars and foodie places. Orchard Central should re-design the ground floor and make it an extension of the new bit that they've opened with the al-fresco dining - that's what attracts people, not Armani shops. Tourists and residents all like to eat, drink and people watch and that area would be ideal for that.

There are also no big and popular stores - Centrepoint is a badly designed mall too in my opinion but they've got Robinsons, one of the biggest Marks and Spencers and also Gap - lots of people go to Centrepoint just for these stores!

I beg to differ... Have you been to Parkway Parade recently?

Parkway is popular purely because there's no rival mall there - the access to and from the bus stop is pathetic, the taxi rank queue is badly designed and the way it's all planned out at the front of the mall is dangerous - only a matter of time before someone gets knocked over trying to cross to get to the overhead bridge there.

I heard that Katong Mall is closing down soon and there's supposed to be a big renovation going on there with a cinema being added too - that will cause parkway a bit of competition, especially as Katong Mall is nearer to some of the new condos going up around there.

[nakatago]

It's a shame that Orchard Central is so rubbish but it's badly designed and apparently ...

but...but...they got that big-@$$ light display which looks so purty at night!

From the bar.

Across the street.

And from buses on Orchard Boulevard.

elitism++!

[ScoobyDoes]

All the while the press and government is banging on about how great the economy is doing, reality on the ground is quite different.

With housing prices going through the roof because of foreign investment, car prices going up because of government intervention on the COE, everyday neccesity items getting more expensive because of transport costs, petrol price going up as oil gets expensive, interest rates looking to go north in the coming months etc....... retail HAS to take a hit.

The high SGD is just another nail in the high cost coffin for anticipation of a) foreign investment and b) tourism.

Unemployment is a topic being brushed under the carpet recently but the truth is it's getting harder to be able to afford things here so in reality it is no wonder most shopping centres are empty, even those that have some better facilities.

[$Pripps]

i am guessing the interest rate increase card will only be played after the election.

[sundaymorningstaple]

i am guessing the interest rate increase card will only be played after the election.

Among other things I'll warrant.

[ScoobyDoes]

i am guessing the interest rate increase card will only be played after the election.

I think this is why they are letting the SGD increase in strength at the moment, to give just enough breathing space until said election is over.

Either way....... we're all screwed