Are SG businesses excited about RTS Link?

How will S'pore's spending habits change?

Is it too late for retail and F&B?

"You can't risk mistakes here": Yuit

CDC vouchers: A band-aid, but still useful

Do topline stats reflect the real picture?

Can more events move to the heartlands?

Why hasn't the west built its own Katong?

Why businesses need cheap spaces to fail

Why S'pore needs a "nighttime mayor"

Will the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link sound the death knell for smaller, home-grown businesses when it opens in a few months?

A new study, which was released on July 16, highlighted how Singaporeans are slated to spend $1.05 billion more across the Causeway in 2027. But visitors from the other side aren’t expected to send as much business our way. JB visitors are projected to spend about $756 million more.

The Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Restaurant Association of Singapore and the Singapore Retailers Association jointly commissioned the study to look at how the RTS Link could reshape consumer spending, tourism flows and business competitiveness in Singapore’s retail and food and beverage sectors.

Can local retail and F&B businesses, which are already struggling with rent and manpower costs, cope with the added pressure?

In this episode, I speak with:

• Musa Fazal, the chief policy and operating officer at the SBF, and

• Ang Yuit, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, who moved to JB 18 months ago.

We discuss whether expanding the eligibility and amount of the CDC Vouchers Scheme is just a Band-Aid, and if the Government will step in to control rents.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:35 Are SG businesses excited about the RTS Link?

6:28 How will S’pore’s consumer spending change?

10:34 Is it too late for retail, F&B?

17:24 You can’t risk making a mistake here: Yuit

19:42 CDC vouchers: A band-aid but still useful

23:15 Topline statistics might not give us the actual picture

27:05 Can we move events to the heartlands?

28:41 Why hasn’t the west built its own Katong?

32:43 Why we need spaces for businesses to try - and fail cheaply

39:53 Why S’pore needs a “nighttime mayor”

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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#tup #tuptrf

Will the Johor Bahru-Singapore&nbsp;Rapid&nbsp;Transit&nbsp;System&nbsp;(RTS)&nbsp;Link sound the death knell for smaller, home-grown businesses when it opens in a few months?
A new study, which was released on July 16, highlighted how Singaporeans are slated to spend $1.05 billion more across the Causeway in 2027. But visitors from the other side aren&rsquo;t expected to send as much business our way. JB visitors are projected to spend about $756 million more.
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Restaurant Association of Singapore and the Singapore Retailers Association jointly commissioned the study to look at how the RTS Link could reshape consumer spending, tourism flows and business competitiveness in Singapore&rsquo;s retail and food and beverage sectors.
Can local retail and F&amp;B businesses, which are already struggling with rent and manpower costs, cope with the added pressure?
In this episode, I speak with:
&bull; Musa Fazal, the chief policy and operating officer at the SBF, and
&bull; Ang Yuit, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, who moved to JB 18 months ago.
We discuss whether expanding the eligibility and amount of the CDC Vouchers Scheme is just a Band-Aid, and if the Government will step in to control rents.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:35 Are SG businesses excited about the RTS Link?
6:28 How will S&rsquo;pore&rsquo;s consumer spending change?
10:34 Is it too late for retail, F&amp;B?
17:24 You can&rsquo;t risk making a mistake here: Yuit
19:42 CDC vouchers: A band-aid but still useful
23:15 Topline statistics might not give us the actual picture
27:05 Can we move events to the heartlands?
28:41 Why hasn&rsquo;t the west built its own Katong?
32:43 Why we need spaces for businesses to try - and fail cheaply
39:53 Why S&rsquo;pore needs a &ldquo;nighttime mayor&rdquo;
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles:<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm"> https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: <a href="https://str.sg/8KNT">https://str.sg/8KNT</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh &amp; Natasha Liew
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law &amp; Zachary Lim
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
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Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
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Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#tup #tuptrf

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

The Usual Place

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media