Qst about past: National & Bata

[johnny333]

I was visiting the area around Peninsula & noticed that they are upgrading the area around Capitol again. I can remember back in the old days when there was a car park next to Capitol Theatre, next to this was the National show room, then Bata, then some shops like Balbir selling sports gear, a music shop selling musical instruments, etc.

Trying to remember what was behind the National showroom. I think it was something to do with the British forces, a club for the British Does anyone have memories of what was in that area? In particular behind the National showroom?

 

[erection2015]

cant recall bro...was thinking but blank on this :(

 

[johnny333]

cant recall bro...was thinking but blank on this :(

Same here, trying to get others to fill in the blank spots while they can still remember & are still around to share. It's sad but the old uncles/aunties are getting older & when they are gone, so too will be memories of the past.

It's not like in the west where there are groups trying to preserve & retain memories of the past.:( It's quite sad that Spore under the PAP, Sporeans do not have a past or future :(:(

 

[Narong Wongwan]

I only can recall the car park had a vehicle lift, first of its kind here then.
There were also street hawkers at the other end facing towards old US consulate....there was a famous hainanese pork chop rice.

 

[erection2015]

many bros here got good memories....wait till they come online. Some may recall.

Same here, trying to get others to fill in the blank spots while they can still remember & are still around to share. It's sad but the old uncles/aunties are getting older & when they are gone, so too will be memories of the past.

It's not like in the west where there are groups trying to preserve & retain memories of the past.:( It's quite sad that Spore under the PAP, Sporeans do not have a past or future :(:(

 

[Faidenk]

I worked at the Bata store during my Sec 2 to Sec 4 school holidays as a casual salesman. Pay was $4 a day,quite a princely sum for a schoolboy. The store was making record breaking sales during the 67 throughout to the 70's. I stopped after the Cambridge SC (the next year it changed to GCE).

Lots of pilferage by staff, even with the stringent stocktakes. Computerisation wasn't available then so there were lots of loopholes. Some would change the normal price tags to red which indicates the items were on sale. Even customers got into the act. Me? I regret to say I found the temptation too great.

 

[Papsmearer]

I was visiting the area around Peninsula & noticed that they are upgrading the area around Capitol again. I can remember back in the old days when there was a car park next to Capitol Theatre, next to this was the National show room, then Bata, then some shops like Balbir selling sports gear, a music shop selling musical instruments, etc.

Trying to remember what was behind the National showroom. I think it was something to do with the British forces, a club for the British Does anyone have memories of what was in that area? In particular behind the National showroom?

I don't remember the club, but the whole row of shops was owned by a Jewish chap. The music shop you are referring to I believe is Seasons. URA expropriated all the shops, and send in gangster to intimidate the merchants into moving. Than, All the shops were torn down. A new BATA was build, occupying almost the whole block.

 

[Papsmearer]

The carpark had many hawker stalls, the most famous of which was the Beef Kwayteow soup.

 

[glockman]

Same here, trying to get others to fill in the blank spots while they can still remember & are still around to share. It's sad but the old uncles/aunties are getting older & when they are gone, so too will be memories of the past.

It's not like in the west where there are groups trying to preserve & retain memories of the past.:( It's quite sad that Spore under the PAP, Sporeans do not have a past or future :(:(

I agree. Its a sad reality indeed. A lot of places where we grew up knowing are not in existence anymore. All we have are pictures and memories. The Land Acquisition Act and the destruction of the old to make way for the new has robbed us of our roots. I can't even find the place I grew up at. The rivers, streams and fields where I used to play as a child are all gone. Old cinemas where I used to watch movies are all gone. Zenith, Mercury, Kok Wah.

 

[Ramseth]

The carpark had many hawker stalls, the most famous of which was the Beef Kwayteow soup.

That's already two generations past. Most of the famous Hill Street HC stalls came from there, e.g. char kway teow, turtle soup, bak kut teh, duck rice, hay mee, wanton mee, sugar cane and lime juice drinks etc. Today, even Hill Street HC is gone. Capitol is no longer a cinema but the Bata shop is still there next to it.

 

[denzuko1]

I was visiting the area around Peninsula & noticed that they are upgrading the area around Capitol again. I can remember back in the old days when there was a car park next to Capitol Theatre, next to this was the National show room, then Bata, then some shops like Balbir selling sports gear, a music shop selling musical instruments, etc.

Trying to remember what was behind the National showroom. I think it was something to do with the British forces, a club for the British Does anyone have memories of what was in that area? In particular behind the National showroom?

Bata is still there at Peninsular Plaza.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

I agree. Its a sad reality indeed. A lot of places where we grew up knowing are not in existence anymore. All we have are pictures and memories. The Land Acquisition Act and the destruction of the old to make way for the new has robbed us of our roots. I can even find the place I grew up at. The rivers, streams and fields where I used to play as a child are all gone. Old cinemas where I used to watch movies are all gone. Zenith, Mercury, Kok Wah.

You must be a hougang kampung boy....
Zenith survived the longest.....till late 80s....the building was still around up till the 90s

 

[denzuko1]

I was visiting the area around Peninsula & noticed that they are upgrading the area around Capitol again. I can remember back in the old days when there was a car park next to Capitol Theatre, next to this was the National show room, then Bata, then some shops like Balbir selling sports gear, a music shop selling musical instruments, etc.

Trying to remember what was behind the National showroom. I think it was something to do with the British forces, a club for the British Does anyone have memories of what was in that area? In particular behind the National showroom?

Bata is still there at Peninsular Plaza.

 

[elephanto]

The carpark had many hawker stalls, the most famous of which was the Beef Kwayteow soup.

Aye aye bro, before the hanyupiyin name of Funan came about, Hock Lam Street & the wonderful beef kway teows are the best in the vicinity with SCCCI building next door, i still remember the 5-foot way barbers along Hock Lam Street...

 

[Ramseth]

Trying to remember what was behind the National showroom. I think it was something to do with the British forces, a club for the British Does anyone have memories of what was in that area? In particular behind the National showroom?

That area used to be Little Britain. Walk infront across North Bridge Road and you'd be at St, Andrew's Anglican Cathedral. Walk behind into Armenian Street and you'd be at MPH and National Library. The British Army fort was up the hill, that's called Fort Canning if you don't already know. In Singlish, it's called Royal Hill.

 

[wikiphile]

I miss Hill street hawker centre and the fantastic char kuay teow. Why the fuck did they tore it down and leave an empty space in its stead?

 

[glockman]

You must be a hougang kampung boy....
Zenith survived the longest.....till late 80s....the building was still around up till the 90s

Yes, I spent most of my childhood at Hougang. Our family members were located mostly between Charlton Park and Kangkar. The quaint fishing port at Kangkar where my grandparents lived is now land filled.

 

[singveld]

we are not so old

I was visiting the area around Peninsula & noticed that they are upgrading the area around Capitol again. I can remember back in the old days when there was a car park next to Capitol Theatre, next to this was the National show room, then Bata, then some shops like Balbir selling sports gear, a music shop selling musical instruments, etc.

Trying to remember what was behind the National showroom. I think it was something to do with the British forces, a club for the British Does anyone have memories of what was in that area? In particular behind the National showroom?

 

[Ramseth]

I miss Hill street hawker centre and the fantastic char kuay teow. Why the fuck did they tore it down and leave an empty space in its stead?

Let me tell you the truth. Just directly opposite old Hill Street HC is Funan Mall. Funan Mall foodcourt wasn't making money. Many stall tenants were leaving and they tried moving their foodcourt up to top floor (before Challenger came) and down to basement, still not making money. Couldn't raise rental as stall tenants would simply leave instead of paying higher rentals. Most logical people went over to Hill Street to eat cheap and good stuff. Funan Mall was owned and run by Pidemco, now merged with DBSLand as Capitaland under Temasek. Need I say more? I think you should be able to figure it out yourself.

we are not so old

I'm still very young, just 25 years old. I've been 25 years old for so many years that I lost count.

 

[laksaboy]

I have never walked into the lane leading to the Capitol Theatre. Usually, I'd just walk past Peninsula Plaza and Capitol Centre, or cross the road and walk along the pavement next to St Andrew's cathedral.

You can still see Capitol Centre and Capitol Theatre in Google Maps street view.