Diners complain renovated Jurong West hawker centre too cramped
Stalls at Jurong West 505 Market and Food Centre reopened on Dec 9 after three months of renovation works.
Although the hawker centre is now cleaner and brighter, some diners and vendors complained that the seats were too close together and they found themselves shoulder to shoulder when seated on the new stools.
The space between some tables was also not wide enough for wheelchairs to pass.
Ms Huang, a 64-year-old housewife, told Lianhe Zaobao: "For someone like me, who is a bit fat, my shoulders touch the person next to me when I sit down. I also feel the space is too small when I stretch my legs or get in and out of the seat."
Vendors also said the place would get stuffy when it's hot outside. They claimed they had asked for additional large fans before the renovation started but they did not see any improvement to the ventilation.
In response to queries from the Chinese daily, a spokesperson for the Jurong-Clementi Town Council said it had optimised the placement of tables and stools to ensure that personal mobility aid (PMA) users and people with mobility impairments would have sufficient space to move in front of the stalls.
The spokesperson added that the Town Council has always been proactive in responding to related needs and increased the number of fans during this renovation. "We have tried our best to meet the fan needs over the past three or four years."
Jurong MP Shawn Huang said the human traffic at the hawker centre would be studied and improvement plans explored in regard to the placement of tables and stools.
The renovation works included the installation of anti-bird and anti-rat spikes to prevent infestations.
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