Bedok Central hawker centre business still slow despite deep clean after TB scare, stallholders say
"Some of our regulars are very skeptical to come," a stallholder told CNA.
The exterior of Block 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market on the morning of May 20, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
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SINGAPORE: Business at Bedok Central's Block 216 Food Centre and Market remains slow, hawkers and merchants told CNA on Wednesday (May 20), a day after it reopened following a three-day cleaning operation linked to a tuberculosis cluster.
The cleaning exercise included a quarterly market washing brought forward by a month, as well as an enhanced deep clean.
When CNA visited at about 10am, most tables were occupied, but hawkers said business was slower than usual and footfall had yet to recover.
Madam Huang Ling, who works at Chinese tea drinks stall Cha Mulan, said business has dropped about 70 per cent since news of the tuberculosis cases broke.
"We've sold about 20 cups since we opened this morning. On a normal day, it would just be a constant stream of customers," said the 53-year-old in Mandarin.
"An uncle told me yesterday that no matter how thorough the cleaning was, he would not come."
A hawker who only wanted to be known as Mr Goh said there were typically no empty tables on weekday mornings.
In late April, authorities announced mandatory tuberculosis screening for tenants and workers at three Bedok Central locations – Heartbeat@Bedok, Block 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market, and the Singapore Pools Bedok betting centre – after investigations found 13 genetically similar cases across three clusters between January 2023 and February this year.
Hawkers told CNA the days immediately following the announcement were the most difficult.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung visited the food centre earlier this month and reassured the public that dining there remains safe.
“Tuberculosis does not get transmitted casually through one, two or even three meetings, or sharing of plates, or shaking of hands. It requires very prolonged close exposure,” he told reporters.
“Coming to a hawker centre and eating is perfectly safe.”
Mr Abdul Wahib, who has operated a clothing stall at the market for 14 years, estimated that business has dropped between 40 and 50 per cent.
"It's too early to say (if things will improve)," he said. "Some of our regulars are very skeptical to come."
FOOD STALLS HARDER HIT
Hawkers and merchants were given half a month's rental and other charges waived for May following news of the clusters.
Mr Abdul Wahib said the relief has helped but that an extension would be welcome.
"The impact is not only just for a month, but for the months to come," he added. "I'm worried for the food businesses. (For us), business has dropped but we just live on and carry on."
Mr Kelvin Tan, who runs a drink stall at the hawker centre, said food stallholders have been harder hit.
"For those who sell food, it is different from selling drinks. Once they cook the food, they will have to throw it away if it can't be finished," he said.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Minister for Law Edwin Tong, who is also a Member of Parliament for East Coast GRC, said authorities are prepared to do more to support affected businesses.
“We hope our residents will continue supporting our hawkers and our businesses and all the merchants here at Block 216, as we move forward together calmly and responsibly as one community,” he wrote.
To help draw crowds back, the Bedok North Block 216 Food Centre and Market Hawkers' Association has organised a getai event on May 22, where members of the public can redeem a S$10 dining voucher for use at participating merchants.
Vouchers can also be collected from Kampong Chai Chee Community Club from May 23.
On Tuesday, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said its screening exercise at Bedok has concluded, with one person diagnosed with active TB so far.
The man has started treatment and "is doing well", and will be non-infectious after two weeks of treatment. Contact tracing is underway to identify and evaluate close contacts.
A Bedok South resident who was in the area said she remained concerned and would avoid the hawker centre for the next week.
“They definitely have done the regular cleaning. But for the interior, we do not know (how clean it is). People may worry,” said the resident who declined to be named.
But others who frequent the hawker centre told CNA they have not changed their routines.
Mr Jackson Lee, who owns an optical shop at a nearby mall and regularly visits the food centre, said he sees no reason to stay away – though he has noticed more people wearing masks.
For Mr Darryn Lim, who sometimes visits the hawker centre and takes his daughter to enrichment classes at Heartbeat@Bedok, it is "business as usual".
"Obviously it does cause some discomfort, but I wouldn't say that we will go out of the way to avoid it," he said. "I feel a bit sad for our hawker friends because if business dropped by 50 per cent, that is terrible."
