Real estate

The interview: The owner of the English House, on the painstaking restoration of a heritage landmark

As the landmark heritage estate – and Singapore’s two longest shophouses – ‘The English House’ hits the market, owner Mr Yeo talks us through the exhaustive four-year restoration, the property’s rare and eclectic inclusions of art, whisky and décor curated by Marco Pierre White, and owning a property with soul.

Boulevard: I’d love to talk to you about this amazing space. I guess your history with it, and as a sort of custodian of such a remarkable heritage property. Can you talk us through the renovation process?

Mr Yeo: Well, first of all, it took us about four years to construct this whole concept. When we bought the property, it was in an appalling state. There wasn’t any roof, you could see trees from where we’re sitting. So it was a lengthy process. We wanted to keep the integrity of the building. So it was a very, very long process, because of the authorities here in Singapore and the Urban Redevelopment Authority conservation guidelines. So it was quite an uphill battle.

Blvd: Did you have the vision for the restaurant as well as the service department when you first took it on? Was that always the concept?

Yeo: Four years without any income. Four years of hard work. I think it paid off because what we created here is something that you can’t find in Singapore, I’m proud to say. The concept came from Marco Pierre White. As you know, Marco is someone who is very traditional, very old-fashioned. Regardless of the assets, the property itself is unique. You will never find a property with that length and that width in Singapore. It’s a trophy asset.

Blvd: What was the key attraction when you first saw the space? What do you think is the best qualities of a heritage property like this?

Yeo: Well, what caught our attention when we viewed this property at a time before purchasing it was the length and width of the property, which is impossible to find in Singapore. We believed that there’s huge potential in terms of development. It’s a very substantial investment. It’s something that’s long term.I think a potential buyer would be someone who wants to do a club membership or a restaurant or even a retail restaurant, Something like that. It can be a place for big brands, especially from the fashion or watch industries and even auction houses.

With its roots going back through history to the 1880s, it’s architectural DNA, the English House has unique character – there’s a soul, rather than in a shopping centre or a resort at Sentosa or Marina Bay Sands. This is something with character. And there’s a soul.

Blvd: What are the character highlights for you? Are there spaces that you just walk past all these years later and still have that that touch of joy?

Yeo: The motifs from the past. They’re at least least 100 years or more than 100 years old. They are very valuable. It’s part of the history of the building. And it would be a shame to remove or to demolish. The integrity of the building is key. We studied the history of the building and maintained as much as we could over a four-year restoration. It’s better than going into something that’s very modern and soulless.

Blvd: Are there any pieces that you particularly love?

Yeo: The whisky collection is interesting enough. It’s something that has been with us for more than 30 over years. A private collection that dates back 30, 40 years ago. The others are at least 70 to 80 years old. I haven’t gotten much of it. That’s one of the tragedies of rare alcohol. You can either consume it and enjoy it vicariously.

Blvd: How do you feel about the sort of heritage market in general?

Yeo: Properties like this are probably suitable for someone who particularly has a rich culture or foreigners who understand the history.

Blvd: In terms of its future, you kind of originally conceived serviced apartments. What happens next?

Yeo: The serviced apartments are, in fact, all ready. It resembles Raffles Hotel. I think it’s just time for us to move on and do something different with a new concept. We’re still moving the restaurant to another new location. We’re not giving up the restaurant. So the English house will still be around. Refurbishing will always come down to the heritage. Very old school, nothing modern.

I think for anything, whether it’s property, a watch, wine or something else, it’s about the pedigree of the products. The most important thing is the provenance.

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