Your views: Learn from the past to make Orchard Road vibrant again
Orchard Road is no longer what it used to be. It has lost its vibrancy. As one of the original Orchard Road kids, I should know.
It is weighed down with too much retail, a glut of shopping centres. There are way too many malls, which was not the case in the 1970s.
Then, the area was more about entertainment, which meshed nicely with the hotel business.
There were bars, discos and nightclubs, and, of course, live bands.
There is not too much of that now, the bright lights and music that used to attract the crowds.
It is quite obvious that retail alone can't do it. People need to have a drink and a good meal and relax. There isn't enough allowance for that, with easy access.
A little outdoor entertainment could help.
There will have to be a variety of acts to make it worthwhile.
But one must be careful not to distract people too much, so they do enter the buildings where the retail, food and drinks, and regular entertainment are.
It is all about establishing a balance, which was lost over the years.
E-mail your views and photos to tnptalk@sph.com.sg You can also write to us at The New Paper, 1000 Toa Payoh North, Level 6, Annexe Block, Singapore 318994
For verification, we need the writer's full name and contact number (preferably a cellphone). We reserve the right to edit letters. By your submission, it is deemed that you have granted us the right to archive, resell or reproduce the letter in any medium.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
