Sentosa's waterfront businesses still reeling 2 weeks after oil spill

But East Coast Park outlets less affected, while vessel charter firms take a beating

- Elise Wong and Therese Soh

About two weeks since an incident between two vessels caused an oil spill and blackened some of Sentosa's beaches, footfall at the International Food Street on the island has nosedived by about 80 per cent and revenue has tumbled by more than 50 per cent.

Food and beverage supervisor Tasha Daniel, 26, said business worsened in the second week after the oil spill, when the food street comprising six food kiosks at the Central Beach Bazaar - drew a daily revenue of $1,000 to $2,000.

This is lower than the $3,000 earned daily in the week after the oil spill, and less than half of the $6,000 or more the food street raked in every day before the incident, said Ms Daniel.

Waterfront businesses have seen takings and footfall tumble after the oil spill on June 14 stained Singapore's shores, forcing some beaches to close and water-based activities to stop.

F&B establishments and an adventure sports centre on Sentosa reported lower foot traffic and earnings, while businesses at East Coast Park were less affected. Vessel charter companies have also taken a beating.

On June 14, Netherlands-flagged vessel Vox Maxima lost engine and steering control and hit Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour at Pasir Panjang Terminal, causing about 400 tonnes of oil from the damaged vessel to spill into the sea.

While Sentosa's beaches - Tanjong, Siloso and Palawan - are now open, the water is still out of bounds. Tanjong Beach is the hardest hit among the three.

FOC by the Beach, a Spanish eatery on Sentosa, told The Straits Times that crowd sizes, reservations and revenue dwindled by about 50 per cent after the oil spill.

On the first weekend following the spill, it had about half, or 166, of its reservations cancelled.

"We are very much affected," said its spokeswoman, Mrs Ang, 38, from the corporate office of FOC Group. She requested to go only by her last name.