Long-established stall Lao Liang Pig Trotter Jelly will close on Saturday (31 October), drawing crowds of regulars eager for one last taste of its traditional fare. Its elderly owner said with resignation: “We’re reluctant to stop, but the work is too demanding.”

The long-established stall at Berseh Food Centre in Jalan Besar is run by Yu Zhongrong and his wife, Lin Cailuan, both 75.

Shin Min Daily News (《新明日报》) reported that the stall has been passed down through three generations. Yu Zhongrong took over at the age of 20 and has run it for 45 years. It first operated at the former premises of Thong Chai Medical Institution, before moving to Hill Street and eventually its current location. Its main offerings include pig’s trotter jelly, Teochew kway chap, braised dishes and white-toothed shark.

Lin Cailuan said in an interview that long queues have formed every day since word of the closure spread. Although the stall opens only at 10am, she often sees people waiting nearby as early as 7am or 8am.

“Sometimes the queue stretches to the entrance of the food centre, and we have to go to the back of the queue to tell people we’ve sold out.”

Speaking about the closure, Lin said that although she and her husband were reluctant to give up the stall, the work was simply too demanding. They often arrive at 3am to prepare the ingredients and do everything themselves, from handling the meat and simmering the stock to making the pork and fish jellies and cooking the sauces. Preparation takes 10 hours.

“We insist on offering good food at affordable prices. We don’t earn much, but many of our customers are elderly, and we want them to be able to enjoy these traditional flavours at prices they can afford.”

Lin said she had not travelled abroad for more than 40 years and planned to visit Shantou with her children after retiring. Apart from a short trip while the food centre was being renovated last year, her husband has not travelled overseas for a holiday or a break either.

“We’re grateful to our customers for their support over the years. Many started eating here when they were dating and are still coming back now that even their grandchildren have grown up.”

When a Shin Min Daily News reporter visited the stall on Wednesday (28 October), there was a long queue of at least 15 groups of customers.

One customer, 88-year-old Madam Lin, said she had patronised the stall as a young woman when it was at the former Thong Chai Medical Institution premises, and had been eating its food for decades. Although she visited less often after the stall moved, she made the trip from Chua Chu Kang early in the morning to show her support after hearing it was about to close.

“I arrived at around 10am and there was already a long queue. I waited about half an hour. But there are fewer and fewer places serving these traditional flavours in Singapore. Every closure means one less place to go.”

For the full report, see the 30 October 2026 edition of Shin Min Daily News (《新明日报》).