Going local: the quest to support heritage and home-grown businesses

WHEN Stephen Tong chanced upon an advertisement to lease a conserved wet market building in Queenstown, he was intrigued. He immediately drove over to see it and fell in love with the premises and its neighbourhood.

Known for its vaulted ceiling, the building at 38 Margaret Drive is the site of the former Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market and Food Centre that was built in 1956. It is the only remaining market in Singapore constructed by the Singapore Improvement Trust.

Before long, the chief executive officer of Bethesda Medical found himself signing a lease for the medical group to become the master tenant of the building, now called Margaret Market. He had visions of using “this lovely and distinctive conserved building” to try to bring back the feel of the older neighbourhood space, provide a venue for small local businesses to ply their trade, and bring people together.