Timbre Group defends app discount, gross turnover rental model

Challenges faced by some hawkers in Singapore

- Cherie Lok

Timbre Group has said the 10 per cent discount offered to customers who pay via its app encourages repeat customers to Yishun Park Hawker Centre, which eventually helps generate more business for hawkers.

The operator, which runs two socially-conscious enterprise hawker centres (SEHCs) — One Punggol Hawker Centre and Yishun Park Hawker Centre — responded to recent criticism by food critic K.F. Seetoh in a press statement on Aug 26.

Last week, The Straits Times reported that hawkers in some SEHCs, including those run by Timbre Group and FairPrice Group, had to absorb the 10 per cent discount offered to diners paying via operator apps.

Timbre initially declined to comment, but said in its statement that the 10 per cent loyalty discount for app payments has been in place since 2017. The full cost of developing and maintaining the app is borne by the company, its spokesperson added.

It also addressed other claims made by Mr Seetoh in an Aug 23 Facebook post.

The food industry veteran charged that Timbre takes "15 per cent of total sales from successful hawkers, otherwise they pay basic rents and all sorts of fees", attaching a photo of a contract as evidence.

In response, Timbre's spokesperson said the 43-stall Yishun Park Hawker Centre operates under a gross turnover rental model where payable rent varies according to hawker earnings.

Hawkers are charged either the base rent of $1,750 a month or 15 per cent of gross sales calculated monthly, whichever is higher.