Is Singapore retail property in dire straits?
Malls, HDB shops and neighbourhood retail hubs are stitched into Singapore’s cityscape. Yet footfall is shifting, rents are biting, and even once-beloved F&B names are shuttering. Online shopping has its grip. Cross-border spending in Johor Bahru is rising. The big question is: does physical retail in Singapore have a bright future?
On this episode of PropertyBT, a podcast of BT Correspondents, Leslie Yee sits down with Ethan Hsu, head of retail at Knight Frank Singapore, to unpack what really drives survival in the retail and lifestyle sectors. The conversation moves beyond clichés of “high rent” to expose the deeper currents reshaping how we shop, eat, and even party.
Why listen?
- The truth about F&B closures. Are rising costs and labour shortages pushing restaurants out or is weak demand the bigger problem?
- The e-commerce question. Online shopping has devastated high streets abroad, but why has Singapore held up better?
- Cross-border competition. With the RTS link to Johor set to cut travel time to five minutes, can local retailers withstand an even bigger leakage of spending?
- The Orchard Road puzzle. Can Singapore’s iconic shopping belt reinvent itself as more than just rows of shops?
- Nightlife’s next chapter. From rooftop bars to late-night dining, what might a “curated night economy” look like for a city that wants to stay vibrant after dark?
The future of retail here is not simply about malls versus e-commerce, or Orchard Road versus JB. It is about reinvention, experience, and knowing what keeps people coming back. As Hsu points out, the middle ground is vanishing fast. Those who cannot differentiate will not survive.
This episode of PropertyBT is not just for landlords and retailers, but for anyone who wonders what kind of city Singapore is becoming after hours and at the checkout counter.
PropertyBT is a podcast of BT Correspondents, bringing you sharp analysis and expert voices on the issues that shape the spaces we live, work and invest in. If you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to reach out to us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Written and hosted by: Leslie Yee (lyee@sph.com.sg)
With Ethan Hsu, head, retail, Knight Frank Singapore
Edited by: Emily Liu & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Leslie Yee, Emily Liu & Chai Pei Chieh
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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