Bishan news stand closes after 30 years

Newspoint, a news stand which has been operating for about 30 years next to Junction 8 in Bishan, will close at the end of this month due to a new development plan by the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

"I am most reluctant to part with the old customers who come to buy newspapers every day. Many of them have been my friends for many years," owner Wang Yaojiang, 61, told Lianhe Zaobao.

Mr Wang took over the news stand from a friend in 2011, and can remember the preferences of regular customers, their time of visit and purchasing habits.

The news stand is open from 6am to 11pm every day, sometimes even until early hours.

Mr Wang pays his employees extra to work over Chinese New Year and keep the stall open.

URA in October last year announced plans to develop new offices and workspaces on the vacant land around Junction 8 and Bishan Bus Interchange.

Mr Wang revealed that the news stand was supposed to close in August last year, but he had sought help from Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Chong Kee Hiong twice to postpone the closing date.

Mr Deng Yingang, 83, who has patronised the news stand for decades, said he felt sad when he learnt about the closure.

Mr Wang keeps outdated newspapers for a week so that customers who have been away will not miss out on the week's copies.

At its peak, the news stand could sell 5,000 copies of newspaper in a day.

"When the sales of paper publications declined, I started selling drinks and snacks to keep going. I wanted to do it until I could no longer do it," said Mr Wang, who will still deliver newspapers after the news stand closes down.

A spokesperson for Junction 8 revealed that the space where the news stand is will not be rented out again.