Like other food and beverage businesses across the country, Ding's popular restaurant, Vanda Room, has been forced to shut since the coronavirus outbreak took hold in the country. Plans to open another shop in the central business district have also been delayed as renovation work cannot start. Ong Tze Guan, 54, vice-chair of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in China, said those in the hospitality sector have seen their business dip by as much as 70 per cent to 90 per cent. ''A lot of landlords have not responded to whether they will reduce rents but businesses still have to pay salaries and taxes. Another big player, CapitaLand, had to shut 12 of its 46 operational malls in China under government directives, although the supermarkets and food and beverage outlets in some of them remain open.

Source: The Star March 02, 2020 04:07 UTC