THE APPEAL OF NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES IN COMPARISON WITH TOWN SHOPPING CENTRES: A STUDY OF QUEENSWAY SHOPPING CENTRE AND PENINSULA SHOPPING CENTRE

Abstract

The pioneer shopping centres were first built in North America in the 1920's and 30s. This was followed by a wave of shopping centre constructions in the 1950s. Later on, these trends further spread to other continents like Australia, South Africa, Central and South America, and the Far East. (Baden, 1999) Originally, shopping centres were formed for the sole purpose of offering the convenience of sale of goods in a "one stop" environment. Progressively, over the years, the shopping centres have increased their functions to being a meeting place for friends, for having meals, for entertainment facilities. In Singapore, the earliest shopping centres first appeared in the Central area of Singapore. When land become too scarce in the Central districts, decentralisation was planned to reallocate the shopping centres to the fringes and then to the suburban areas. While the central shopping centres appeal through their location, the neighbourhood centres appeal through being closer to home and having cheaper merchandise. The findings gathered by the author show that neighbourhood centres do not necessarily have less appeal compared to their counterparts in town. Other factors such as accessibility, tenant mix, and the presence of additional facilities outweigh the importance of a good location.