New market, new problems

A file image of a night market in Bercham, Ipoh. The scene differs greatly from what can currently be seen at the Ipoh Walk Night Bazaar.

MORE than a month into operations, traders at the Ipoh Walk Night Bazaar are hoping the management of the city’s biggest night market will do more to pull in the crowds.

Those interviewed by MetroPerak said they are worried that there are still quite a lot of lots left, making the market look empty and less attractive to visitors.

While business was still decent during the year-end holidays last year, traders noted that a large group of stalls closed and moved away as the owners had only signed a 10-day lease.

Things started to take a turn for the worse after that, especially after the holidays ended, and the traders who remain at the market are now saying they are barely making enough to get by.

A trader who wanted to be known only as Alvin, 35, said, for a night bazaar with such huge potential, the current situation in terms of visitors is simply not satisfactory.

“The management should step up their game and organise more interesting events that can attracts both locals and tourists to this space.

“Last year, we were informed that there would be a countdown event on New Year’s Eve, so we prepared a more food to sell on that day since we were expecting a larger crowd.

Low says she is worried about her daily sales as she is unable to keep the dim sum she makes for long if it is not sold at the Ipoh Walk Night Bazaar.

“But in the end, nothing was arranged. A lot of our food ended up being wasted,” he told MetroPerak at his stall in the bazaar located along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, opposite Aeon Mall Kinta City.

Alvin also pointed out that during the year-end holidays, he estimated the occupancy rate for the lots at the bazaar was at about 70%.

“Now it seems like it’s only 30% occupied after the traders with temporary leases left.

“We, on the other hand, signed a long-term lease so we can’t just pack up and leave when we aren’t earning much due to the lack of customers,” he said.

Alvin believes in the potential the night bazaar holds, as it has been nicely done up with lots of amenities that are not typically found in a normal night market.

“The management should start doing more events now since it’s going to be Chinese New Year soon.

“For example, they could organise a fashion month and invite hip, trendy blogshops to come in to sell their clothes.

“We just really want larger crowds, so we can earn a living,” he said.

Alvin also suggested that since the night bazaar is relatively new, the rents should be lowered.

“There are barely any people now. I feel it is only when there are more people coming in that the management will have higher bargaining power.

Traders are hoping that the management of Ipoh Walk Night Bazaar will organise more events and fill the vacant lots as soon as possible as many are feeling the pinch over poor sales due to the lack of visitors.

“I still have workers selling food at other pasar malams in residential areas to cushion the cost of the lease here, so it is still bearable, but some of the uncles and aunties whose only business is here feel the lease is too expensive right now,” he said.

Another trader Sharon Low, 40, said business started out well in the middle of December because of the year-end holidays.

“Then, after many of the temporary traders moved, the place doesn’t look that happening anymore.

“Some new customers who bought things from me also told me that the bazaar doesn’t have much to attract them to come back for a second time because there isn’t anything much to see,” Low said, adding that it is hard for her to run her business as her profits have drastically dropped, especially over the last few weeks.

“I’m worried that my earnings can’t cover the lease. Every now and then, I’ll talk to people from the management using WeChat and they’ll tell me they have lots of plans for us.

“So far, I haven’t seen anything happening yet and I’m just worried because I am selling fresh dim sum. I can’t keep it for long if I don’t sell out every day,” she said.

Low said the management should hold a meeting with every trader in the bazaar to discuss their wants and needs, and hear their proposals.

“We all want the same thing, which is bigger crowds,” she said.

Fellow trader Adam, 23, shares the same sentiment as Alvin and Low, saying that it is quite hard for he and his brother to earn money when there are not enough customers coming.

Traders who operate in the bazaar say the area has lots of potential and offers many amenities for traders and customers not normal night markets.

“They constructed the place very nicely, but the only problem is that there is nothing much to attract more people.

“I’m very worried the situation will continue like this,” he said.

Like Low, Adam said the management had informed him previously that they would bring lots of tour buses to the bazaar.

“But, nothing much is happening so far. During the first two weeks since the bazaar was launched, my row of stalls here were almost fully occupied but now, it’s just empty,” he said.

Adam said the management of the bazaar could perhaps consider bringing in people who sell new, trendy-looking merchandise.

“The management needs to change their game. We really want more crowds to come in because only then will it be good for every one of us here,” he said.

Similarly, a trader who wanted to be known only as Kenny, 25, said there have not been many people going the bazaar since he started selling desserts there three weeks ago.

“There’s barely any business. We’re falling asleep because there’s not many people to sell to.

“We open from 5pm to almost midnight every day, and things have been very tough for us because the lease here is quite expensive when there’s no crowd to ensure we are pulling in enough money,” he said.

Kenny suggested that a fun fair or more entertainment-based events might attract youngsters.

“If the kids really want to come, I’m sure the adults will have to come along.

“For now, the place just looks empty and there’s nothing much to see around here,” he said.

Another trader who wants to be known only as Ahmad, 44, also said business has been slow.

“Based on the size of this area, if they can find enough traders to fill up all the vacant lots, it would surely attract a crowd.

“This is a new location so the management must present something that’s special and that makes people want to come and visit again,” he said.

Peter Goh, the manager of Evenzzi Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd, the events management company behind the night bazaar, urged the traders to be patient as the company is currently in the middle of arranging new events and attractions.

“Bear in mind that the night bazaar was just opened after a soft launching in early December last year, we have yet to hold a grand launching.

Goh said the slow business at the night market is partially due to the recent rainy weather.

“We have already spoken to many major event companies and many of them have agreed to work with us to organise new events for the bazaar.

“Things may take a while as we are planning a year-long schedule, but rest assured, we are working on it,” Goh said.

Noting that there are currently around 100 traders operating in the bazaar, Goh said some did not open their stalls recently due to the rainy weather.

“I am also urging our traders to cooperate with us because we are all in the same boat.

“I understand that it has been raining a lot recently, but whether rain or shine, you have signed a contract and it is your responsibility to open your stall,” he said, adding that he expects the bazaar’s will be fully taken up by traders within the next three months.

On the “expensive” leases, Goh stressed that charging RM580 a month is reasonable.

“If you think about it, they are only paying around RM20 a day and it is reasonable because they would be operating at their stall for more than eight hours since the bazaar is open from 4pm to 1am,” he said.