Tampines Round Market Finally Reopen With Bird Spikes, Better Ventilation & Baby Chairs

Food wars with Malaysia aside, food centres are one essential component which makes Singapore unique.

Though the food sold is more or less the same across all food centres, the variety is undeniable. They house all the local favourites under one roof, which is a must-try for tourists especially since Crazy Rich Asians said so.

Note to tourists: Newton Food Centre is not the only place you can feast like a local in Singapore.

Also, it’s possible to get food and drinks at a fraction of the price in other food centres because not all Singaporeans are crazy rich.

What’s better than a food centre? A market and food centre in one so you can conveniently purchase fresh ingredients to have yet another good meal.

Another plus point: store owners are generally of the older generation with their own cult following aka our mothers.

Everyone is very welcoming unlike that of a regular grocery store where employees are as busy as a bee, and rarely find joy in helping customers.

Tampines Round Market and Food Centre back with a bang

Located along Tampines Street 11 is one such market.

Tampines Round Market and Food Centre has resumed its operations on 7 July after a two-month revamp as reported by The New Paper.

According to North East District Mayor Desmond Choo, the 36-year-old market was given a functional makeover which reflected the feedback from stall owners and residents who frequent the food centre.

Improvements to look forward to

Here’s what has changed:

• Child-friendly seats: Seats and tables at such food centres are usually stuck to the ground and one-size-fits-all. With seats specifically catered to kids which will be available next month, parents of young children need not worry about carrying them on their laps.
• New drop-off point: To enhance traffic accessibility in the area, there have been plans for a new drop-off point.
• Wider walkways: Now you don’t have to worry about spilling your hot bowl of noodles on an unsuspecting victim, or wait forever for people to walk in a single file due to the space constraint.
• Improved ventilation: Food centres equate to numerous food stalls, which translates to a weird and unpleasant mix of food odour. Fret not because the newly opened food centre is now equipped with big ass fans, literally, to help you keep your cool and get rid of any smell of food lingering in the air.
• Bird spikes: Nobody likes birds who steal food and leave a nasty trail of their scrumptious meal when they’re done eating. With bird spikes, the number of birds who cause distress in the food centre is expected to decrease.
• Wheelchair-friendly spaces: To be more inclusive and cater to wheelchair users, the food centre and market is said to have wheelchair-friendly spaces because good food should be enjoyed by everyone.

Other revisions to anticipate include energy-conserving lamps, new tray-return racks and 10 child-friendly seats in washrooms.

Now that you know what has changed, here’s what hasn’t changed – good ol food you love.

As the food centre is opened from 6:30 AM to 3 PM daily, many people head there for breakfast. In case you’re unsure of the favourites, here’s a helping hand.