Rebranding The Old

Allson Hotel & Grand Pacific Hotel
Victoria Street, Bugis, Singapore 

December 2009 

 

31 December 2009 was the last day of Allson Hotel's operations. 

 

On 1 January 2010, the hotel would be renamed as Hotel Grand Pacific, in line with the name of its parent company. This is the hotel's 4th name change after New Hong Kong Hotel (1970) and Hotel Tai-Pan (1981), before Hotel Tai-Pan Ramada was sold in 1989. 

 

Having held the Allson Hotel brand since 1989, the name change is a significant move for the hotel management team headed by Mr Albert Lai, and his staff as it relinquishes its 20-year franchise arrangement. With the name change comes a rebranding exercise - the hotel's interior and facade are renovated, a new website created, linen and stationery changed, and the uniforms and name tags take on a whole new look. 

 

We spend a day with the staff as they undergo the last stages of preparation for the new year.

 

A look at the new entrance of the hotel with the new carpark sign and the temporary banner draped over the hotel signboard...

New “Welcome” signs greet drive-in visitors and guests...

The location of the old reception desk is now boarded up...

 

 

The entrance to the employee garden with its old name and the “No Entry” sign...

 

A last look at the familiar Allson typeface in the employee garden before it is taken down...

 

A door mat with the old Allson logo...

 

Shelves full of linen with the old Allson logo...

 

One of the last few loads of Allson linen...

 

The staff laundry chits with a mix of the old and new stationery...

 

A bathrobe with the old Allson logo...

 

The Allson laundry bag and guest laundry chit...

 

A comparison of the old and the new - laundry bags and guest laundry chits...

 

The management and staff stand proudly beside the elegant new Hotel Grand Pacific Singapore logo...

 

The renovated new facade of the Hotel Grand Pacific...

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The full album is available at:
Places - Hotels

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The Railway Ran Through It

Duxton Plain Park

Chinatown, Singapore

December 2009

 

Duxton Plain Park is a long, narrow and curved park between New Bridge Road and the former Yan Kit Swimming Pool.

 

Formerly known as Duxton Park, it got its unusual shape from the fact that it was once a railway track. The railway once passed through here on its way from Tanjong Pagar towards Orchard Road.

 

When the Malayan Railway realigned its tracks in the 1930s, the railway tracks were removed, and in their place is this curve-shaped park.

 

Within this park, there is a keramat of Sharifah Rogayah, the granddaughter of Al Habib Al Saiyid Noh bin Mohammad Al Habshee. (This can be seen in the right corner.)

 

Now, few frequent the park - only the occasional senior citizens and some foreign workers can be seen passing their time here amidst the birds and the strolling cats.

 

 

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The full album is available at:
Places - Duxton

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Cracks In The Wall

Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Queen Street, Bugis, Singapore

December 2009
  

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, stands at the junction of Queen Street and Bras Basah Road. The oldest Catholic church in Singapore, its foundation stone for the Cathedral was laid on 18 June 1843 and construction was completed by 1847. It was gazetted a national monument on 06 July 1973.

 

On 08 September 2009, the Straits Times ran a report on the church's weakening foundations. Construction on the Singapore Management University's new campus next door and the Circle Line construction had resulted in obvious cracks on the church's walls, columns and floors. The church was also said to be tilting. A restoration timeline is in place. A survey of the building has been completed and emergency repairs are currently in progress.

 

  

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The full album is available at:
Places - Bugis

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