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Duxton Hill's dirty side gets cleaned up
Girly bars close shop and make way for trendy businesses in the conservation neighborhood of Duxton Hill
Duxton Hill: The conservation neighbourhood of Duxton Hill has finally been given a sweep over. For years, the elegant conservation shophouses lining the streets of Duxton Hill and Duxton Road were occupied by businesses that were far from tasteful.
The area was best known for its seedy bars with names like Bottoms Up Pub and Duxton Blue with scantily-clad girls milling about outside, plying their less than salubrious trades, leading to police raids and arrests for prostitution.
Duxton's changing face
Not so any more. Most of these watering holes have moved out of the area and there has been a discernible shift in the character of the neighborhood.
Two wheels are better than four at Elite Bicycles.
“When we arrived in February 2010, there were quite a lot of bars here," says David Greenfield, president of Elite Bicycles (3 Duxton Hill, tel +65 6224 2578), one of the first new businesses to enter the area.
"Since then, many of them have closed and it’s nicer. There’s less of a negative connotation of the area, and we seen an increase in foot traffic and a better crowd comes here now.”
Dine out on delectable, delicate cakes at Flor.
“The area was cleaned up right after we moved here in July 2010,” says owner Heidi Tan. “We don’t see as many bottles lying in the street, and the right people are starting to come here, even on weekends when the nearby offices are closed.”
From seedy to charming
Nothing happens by chance in Singapore, and this change of Duxton's scene is no exception. The bars have left mainly because the police are no longer renewing their bar license as the area has been designated a historic district within Chinatown by the Urban Renewal Authority(URA) and zoned under URA’s Master Plan of 2008.
"While URA welcomes owners who bring their businesses into the area and adapt its heritage buildings for commercial use, we are also mindful that these uses should complement the ambiance and character of the larger historic district," says Ler Seng Ann, group director of conservation and development services at the URA.
"In this regard, the URA takes into consideration various factors when assessing applications for commercial setups in the area, such as noise disturbance and the impact on traffic and parking, and works closely with other government agencies, such as the police, in the regulation of public entertainment outlets, as well as law and order issues.”
King of the hill once again
Lower rents and inherently charming shophouse architecture have also helped draw new businesses here. Rents that once cost more than S$20,000 a month two years ago, cost around half now.
“We came because Duxton was on the rise,” says Greenfield. “We wanted to get in while things were still good.”
This bookshop is literally Littered with Books.
“We picked Duxton because it has the most potential. Things have moved quickly in this area; there are more offices and independent businesses here now."
We have been surprised by the crowd, there has been better than expected foot traffic and we are getting repeat customers.”
“We loved the high ceilings and comfy size of this shophouse," says Amanda Li, director of Richard Koh Fine Art (71 Duxton Road). The art gallery specializing in Southeast Asian art only set up shop in January this year.
With the exception of Richard Koh Fine Art, all the other businesses mentioned here took over defunct bars.
Duxton Hill welcomes in the upscale Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar.
Duxton’s day is dawning, it seems. And with so much charm, beauty and history to offer, it is set to rise.
