Old Market, New Life

Amidst the rising tide of concrete and steel high-rises, the old Telok Ayer Market stands defiantly. After the urban renewal and hawker resettlement schemes in the late 1960s, the humble Telok Ayer wet market underwent conversion into a Hawker Centre to serve the office lunch crowds of the new Central Business District.

The closure of the wet market after nearly a century of continuous use also marked a new chapter in its history. To recognise its longevity and architectural distinction, Telok Ayer Marker was gazetted as a National Monument in July 1973, part of the pioneer batch of monuments.

As the oldest building standing on this strip of land, Lau Pa Sat stands today as a graceful symbol of resilience and continuity.