In Singapore, protecting national heritage begins in its shops
As local shops are squezed under economic pressures, the city-state’s National Heritage Board is stepping in to preserve Singaporean national identity.
It might be an enthusiastically forward-looking nation but Singapore is also determined not to lose sight of its past at street level. In October 2025 the National Heritage Board (NHB) announced the 42 participants in the pilot SG Heritage Business Scheme, which aims to recognise and protect businesses that are deeply woven into the fabric of Singapore’s cultural landscape.
The list includes CYC, a third-generation tailor that once made clothes for the country’s founder Lee Kuan Yew; Tong Heng, a 90-year-old Cantonese pastry shop; and Basheer Graphic Books, a second-generation design and art-book shop and newsstand that, among other delights, has stocked every issue of Monocle since our launch.
NHB’s move comes at a critical moment when many shops and restaurants in Singapore are struggling to stay afloat: 2,431 F&B businesses shut between January and October 2025, squeezed by rising rents and wage bills. The board’s research shows that though 75 per cent of locals are said to recognise the importance of heritage businesses, only 46 per cent regularly buy from these businesses.
“We started thinking about how to support our local heritage businesses in a bigger way,” says Kirk Siang Yeo, NHB’s group director of policy and community. The team drew inspiration from San Francisco’s Legacy Business programme and Seoul’s Future Heritage scheme, both of which show that state recognition can raise the profile of long-standing enterprises. “These are big cosmopolitan cities that have undergone a lot of change, much like Singapore,” says Yeo.
Beyond conferring special designation as a Singaporean heritage business, NHB is also exploring consultancy and support. With its assistance, the owner of Basheer Graphic Books, Abdul Nasser, hopes to integrate inventory across the physical space, website and distributors into a seamless digital platform.
Though the scheme is in its infancy, some businesses say that they have already noticed an uptick in sales. Anushia Flower Shop, a garland maker for Hindu festivals, has reported a 5 per cent increase in enquiries for wedding and sporting celebrations. Tong Heng’s Ana Fong hopes for a wider ripple effect. “With NHB’s help, I hope that heritage brands can come together to show locals and foreigners that we Singaporeans have our own history and culture,” she says.
Comment
Supporting age-old heritage businesses isn’t just about preservation – it’s also about creating a recognisable urban identity for citizens of which they can be proud.
