Spruce will be closing its beloved Old Fire Station outlet at Bukit Timah at the end of this year to make way for new development, as well as National Parks Board (NParks) visitor centre.

The restaurant will cease operations at the Bukit Timah outlet on Dec. 27.

Opened 9 years ago

Spruce, which sells European and American cuisine, is a familiar sight to anyone who frequents the upper Bukit Timah Road area.

Spruce has been open at the Old Fire Station outlet, located at the junction of Upper Bukit Timah Road and Old Jurong Road, for nine years.

In a Facebook post on Monday (Dec. 21), the restaurant announced their last week of operation, and invited patrons to come down to the restaurant before it closes.

Spruce's newly-opened outlets located at HillV2 in Bukit Batok and Phoenix Park in Tanglin will operate as per normal.

The Straits Times (ST) had reported in January 2020 that the eight-year tenancies of Spruce and several other tenants were expiring at the end of January, but that tenants had the options to extend their leases to December so that they would have more time to relocate.

Old Fire Station site will be redeveloped

In March 2019, then-Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said that plans had begun to redevelop the old Bukit Timah fire station into a "base for visitors to explore the nature and heritage attractions in the area".

Attractions in the area include Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Dairy Farm Nature Park, and the Former Ford Factory.

ST also reported in January 2020 that some developers were hoping to revive the area into a mini-Dempsey Hill.

Submissions opened in December 2019 and closed in April 2020. Entries were then shortlisted and final proposals were submitted later this year, wrote ST.

410 square metres of the space must also be set aside for a visitor centre run by the NParks.

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Top photos via Facebook / Spruce and Ministry of National Development via Reinventing Cities website.