Holland V residents learn the hard way

[Apollo]

Holland V valets to close

HDB puts up signs at carpark entrances banning such services

By Sumathi V. Selvaretnam

 

THE two carpark valet services in Holland Village, there for years, were told yesterday that they have to cease operations from today.

 

Last night, workers contracted by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) put up signs at the carpark entrances in Lorong Liput and Lorong Mambong declaring that such parking services were banned.

 

An electronic parking system will go up there on Sept 22 to regulate the demand for parking lots, said the HDB.

 

Mr R.K. Vicnesh, 32, who runs the year-old Sakthya Services, said he heard about the ban only yesterday. Before him, the booth had been run by his brother-in-law from 2001.

 

Mr Vicnesh charges motorists $8 to park their car so they can avoid the hassle of circling the area for a lot.

 

His valet service has tie-ups with eight restaurants and service providers in the area, including Splendour Spa, Qi Mantra and Lebanese restaurant Al-Qas'r.

 

Sakthya charges these businesses a monthly fee for their customers to enjoy free valet parking. It also has a tie-up with DBS Bank to give customers free valet parking if they charge $60 or more to their DBS or POSB cards at the outlets in the area.

 

Mr Vicnesh has written to the HDB asking to be allowed to continue his services. He is also collecting signatures from business owners for a petition against the ban on valet services.

 

Both he and the other valet operator, Purple Valet Services, plan to continue operating until further notice from the HDB. Said Mr Ray K., a valet with Purple Valet Services: 'The outlets have paid us, so we will stay.'

 

Both operators said that in the time they have been there, nobody has told them that they needed a permit, or that they were not allowed there, except that Sakthya was once asked by the Land Transport Authority to move its valet booth away from the pavement. It has since operated its booth outside the Haagen Daz cafe without further incident.

 

Shop owners, whose customers are younger Singaporeans and expatriates, expressed disappointment at the ban on valet services.

 

Mrs Sabrinah Hussin, 23, who manages Splendour Spa, said eight in 10 of the spa's customers used the free valet service because 'it is hard to find parking lots here, and they want to be on time for their appointments'.

 

Mr Amos Liew, 27, a supervisor at Qi Mantra spa, is worried he may lose customers if the parking problem worsens.

 

Lebanese restaurant Al-Qas'r managing director Georges Khanashat said the restaurant might have to move if the situation does not improve.

 

Lawyer Leong Kwok Yan, 61, said valet services were needed because parking facilities were inadequate. 'People are always waiting around for a long time, and they jam up the carpark.'

 

Besides the Lorong Liput carpark - where half the lots are season parking ones for HDB residents in the area - visitors to Holland Village used to have another carpark across the road at Chip Bee Gardens, but that was closed down in 2004 for work to build Holland Village's MRT station.

[email protected]

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNew...ory_276678.html

 

consequence of compraining and asking for help whahahaha....

 

next time think before asking.

[Rncw]

the carpark/land belongs to the gahment, you think can anyhow use it to run own carpark business???

 

unless the location is a hotel, shopping mall, as they are private properties...but even if they want to run their valet service in a hotel or mall, they also have to get permission to do so...

[Othello]

aiyah, what else is new ? cheng hu see other people make money, got lobang --> thats it !! take over and make ...

 

just smash with iron hammer, just like tHOR

 

just like the MSCP car wash , food on wheels etc etc ....... normal peasants finding ways to make money only to be gunned down by bureacrats sitting in their ivory towers

[Ccssgm]

Noise, fumes & parking

 

For some residents, having pubs, eateries nearby signals the end of peace and quiet

 

PROPOSAL to tweak the rules to make it easier for restaurants, pubs and shops to offer live entertainment and do on-site cooking is making residents of private housing estates nervous.

To them, relaxed planning guidelines will bring noise, parking woes and oily kitchen fumes to their quiet neck of the woods.

 

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced on Aug 29 that it was considering cutting the red tape for businesses, especially those seeking to set up shop in private housing estates.

 

It is collecting views from the public on the move, aimed at injecting vibrancy into these areas.

 

But it appears that some residents are not keen on having buzz.

 

The Straits Times last week visited six housing estates with entertainment and dining strips to ask residents what they thought of entertainment and dining options on their doorstep.

 

In Thomson Ridge off Upper Thomson Road, residents are unhappy about the noise that patrons of the nearby bars and restaurants make.

 

Long-time resident Janet Chew, whose house is next to the bar Liquid Kitchen, grumbled: 'Normally it's already very bad, very noisy. But it's worse during football matches or during events like the Beijing Olympics! They shout and scream, as if they're doing a mini Kallang Roar.'

 

In Jalan Legundi off Sembawang Road, foodies flocking to the eateries there are causing a parking problem, especially on weekends.

 

Resident R.V. Raju, 53, said these visitors are 'a nuisance', parking on both sides of the road and giving grief to residents wanting to get in and out of their driveways.

 

The problem eased when the URA created paid parking lots, but residents fear the nightmare will return if the relaxed guidelines spawn new eating places.

 

Parking is also an issue in Serangoon Gardens, with what resident Jonathan Lim, 47, describes as 'havoc' and 'unbearable honking' at the junction of Serangoon Gardens Way and Yio Chu Kang Road.

 

'I feel like my neighbourhood has been invaded,' the businessman moaned.

 

But some people welcome the buzz.

 

Ms Serene Wong, a teacher in her 30s, said she liked having more food and entertainment options in her Sunset Way neighbourhood.

 

But she suggested compromises, such as allowing live music only during weekends.

 

Businesses near residential areas said they would offer more entertainment and food choices if the rules are relaxed.

 

For instance, Ms Apple Soh, the manager of Perle Noire Oyster & Grill Bar in Siglap, said bringing in light jazz singers is an option.

 

Aspiring entrepreneurs are also looking out for the results of the public consultation.

 

Ms Melissa Li, 24, who hopes to set up a food shop by the end of this year, said: 'As it is, there are many approvals I have to apply for, so one fewer would be good.'

 

Most business owners were willing to do the necessary to accommodate residents.

 

Restaurateurs in Teck Chye Terrace off Upper Serangoon Road, for instance, have responded to parking woes and jams in the area: They allow customers to double-park along the road, but require them to leave slips of paper with their cellphone numbers on the dashboard, so when a customer needs to drive off, he calls the person blocking his way to move his car.

 

Meanwhile, Mr Colin James, the manager of Liquid Kitchen, said he has tried to control noise levels by seating big groups near the road and moving them indoors after 11pm.

 

But some residents say this is not enough. Mrs Chew said: 'We want peace and quiet. That's why we live in landed property in the first place.'

 

Staying that area is Really Suffer

[Watwheels]

These valet services are pushing it. Dunno got business registration and use public carpark like their own. They should be fine from yr2001 for exploiting the use of the carpark. Sung sung no need to pay for permit or rent can earn money. Who dun wan?

 

Nearby got MSCP and other hdb carpark. It's just that ppl lazy and bean tua dun wanna walk.

 

More like the residents comprain to hdb about these ppl who abuse the place.

[Othello]

i think the main issue to be should not be whether they have permit or not. It should be whether they have insurance cover ....

if wanna be so strict, then people selling newspaper outside MRT, bus interchange, road side all got permit ?

[Kb27]

First time I used the valet parking, I thought they have their own car park somewhere.

Then I realised that they are using hdb carpark for their business, I wonder did hdb give them permission.

 

You can't simply used someone else's land without permission to run your own business.

 

The valet may have also artifically created more demands. It's like you come late but you pay more to these people and you get a lot. Is that no difference from touting?

[Babyt]

what if i set up a one-night booth and offers to valet park and then drive away the car to JB and sell? LOL...thats the problem...they did not get permit and ppl handing their car key to them ...

[Chromas]

I am rather glad that the service is coming to an end. They can be like holigans at times when it comes to "reserving" lots, eg. one valet would be in the car while another runs over to a lot that is about to vacate and "books" the lot. And if you try to park, they wave you away. If you insist, you risk your car being scratched by those people there.

 

I usually go to Holland V during peak eating times as well and I only wait around 10mins at the most for a lot to appear. Personally, I do not see the need for a valet service there.

[Damienic]

I went there last sunday for lunch....damn terok in finding a lot...have to wait at least 10-15 mins for a lot... told myself will ban Holland V until the situation improves..

[Watwheels]

i think the main issue to be should not be whether they have permit or not. It should be whether they have insurance cover ....

if wanna be so strict, then people selling newspaper outside MRT, bus interchange, road side all got permit ?

 

I disagree. If there's no business registration or permit dan there's no accountability, no one will claim responsibility for any accident. Without a business registration also means no one can sell u any insurance policy, simple as that.

 

As for selling newspaper, they use their own table and chair and they do not obstruct any vehicle or ppl. Their takings are small compare to valet ppl whereby restaurants, shop owners and car owners pay these ppl for their so call service. Not to mention they dun own the carpark.

 

I agree with some ppl who mentioned they act like hooligans, come to think of it they are.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Watwheels

[Damienic]

wat surprises me is tat govt only ask them to move after so many years...

[Watwheels]

For some things gov bodies will only act if someone comprain or else they dun even have time to take a dump.

[Throttle2]

Yeah, they have no right to operate valet there and "chop" lots making it difficult for the general public who does not use their services

[Help1]

Valet operators asked for it, they should see it coming cos the carparks belongs to HDB, anyway these operators are not there for long term (flyby business), those HV businesses will have greater impact

[Silver_blade]

These valet services are pushing it. Dunno got business registration and use public carpark like their own. They should be fine from yr2001 for exploiting the use of the carpark. Sung sung no need to pay for permit or rent can earn money. Who dun wan?

 

Nearby got MSCP and other hdb carpark. It's just that ppl lazy and bean tua dun wanna walk.

 

More like the residents comprain to hdb about these ppl who abuse the place.

I agree. I often wonder if they have a permit from HDB to operate there.

 

I was there once to buy supper, waited for a lot..and when one car eventually moved out, the valet ran to it and signal me to stop getting into the lot, cos they are 'reserving' for one of their customer's car. I horned at him, inch forward, wind down my window and had a word with him and continue to park. I can understand, if that was a reserved lot specifically for them or it was occupied by one of their cars...but it was not. The car owner just there from another direction and drives her own car.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Silver_blade

[Mona_lisa]

Hope that after the ERP parking kicks in, the situation will improve - shorter waiting time.

But on the other hand, with the ERP system barring cars from entering when "full", end up will still be stuck in the long queue outside.

[Silver_blade]

I don't think parking situation there will improved drastically. I don't think most people who goes there really mind paying for parkings.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Silver_blade