Singapore canteen that outlasts Royal Air Force is closing after 57 years
Boh Geh Uncle Canteen, an open-air eatery on the grounds of a former Royal Air Force base in northern Singapore, will serve its final meal on Sept. 18 and close permanently the next day after 57 years.
Singapore's Canteen 398, which has endured longer than the Royal Air Force's presence, is set to close after 57 years of operation. The notice of its impending closure appeared at the establishment and was subsequently photographed by patrons. The owners, a couple, announced their plans to retire and take a break, citing no specific reason for the closure, which was shared on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
The canteen, located at 398 Piccadilly, operates three stalls under a patched canopy, serving a range of rice-based dishes and curries priced between SGD1 and SGD5. Open from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on weekdays, the canteen maintains a strict no-photography policy inside. Initially established as a corporals' mess in 1969 during the British era, the canteen later served Singaporean national servicemen stationed at Seletar Camp.
RAF Seletar, the largest British air force base in the Far East, operated from 1928 until its withdrawal in 1971. The site's ownership later shifted to the Singapore Armed Forces and subsequently to civil aviation, eventually opening to the public. Despite plans to close the canteen in 2012 for the redevelopment of Seletar Aerospace Park, the canteen managed to avoid closure.
Redevelopment began in 2006, with former RAF officers' bungalows being converted into civilian homes. Today, the canteen attracts a diverse clientele, including aerospace workers, taxi drivers, and cyclists who follow the Round Island Route.
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