57-year-old Canteen 398 near Seletar reportedly closing on Sep. 19
It will be missed.
After 57 years, Canteen 398 located at Piccadilly Road is set to permanently close its doors on September 19. A sign captured in a diner's TikTok video indicates the last day of operation will be September 18. However, the reason behind this closure remains unexplained. The proprietors of the canteen, a couple, informed an Instagram user that they had planned a break and retirement.
The canteen, also known as Boh Geh Uncle Canteen, is believed to be Singapore's oldest surviving coffee shop, dating back to 1969. Originally serving as a Corporal Mess for British soldiers, it later catered to National Servicemen stationed at the nearby Seletar Camp. Despite changing its purpose over the decades, the canteen has retained its rustic, old-school charm with an outdoor dining area surrounded by overgrown greenery.
Its three stalls - two for food and one for drinks - provide simple meals at relatively affordable prices, making it a popular spot for local workers. In 2012, the canteen was slated for closure to make way for the Seletar Aerospace Park development plans. However, it managed to survive these proposed changes.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
