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Buzz returns as hawker centres, coffee shops open to groups of 5 from different households

SINGAPORE - Hawkers and coffee shop stall owners saw the buzz return to their venues on Tuesday (Nov 23) morning, as patrons from different households were once again allowed to dine in groups of up to five. As part of the initial run of venues that will allow such groups, 11 hawker centres and seven coffee shops were identified as being able to control access, as well as conduct checks on the vaccination status of their customers. Hawkers The Straits Times spoke to saw more life on Tuesday morning compared with the weeks before, when only those from the same household could dine in together in groups of up to five. "You can feel the difference today, it's more busy," said Madam Ng Bee Leng, 57, whose family has been running Holland Village Homemade Soyabean at Holland Village Market and Food Centre since the 1970s. "More parents have been bringing their kids here. I hadn't seen them in so long." She added: "I was surprised they chose (our hawker centre) because we're so small, the whole market has only 21 stalls and business has been very slow since they closed the (open-air and double-storey) car parks a few years ago." It was a similar case at Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre in ...