Singapore shophouse neighbourhood guide
Victoria Street shophouses
The boundary street between the Bugis interchange and the Kampong Glam Historic District, where two conservation areas and large retail meet.
Short answer
Victoria Street shophouses sit on the boundary between Bugis and the Kampong Glam Historic District, where the Queen Street and Kampong Glam conservation areas meet large retail. They suit retail, services and F&B. Value depends on which side of the boundary the lot sits, its conservation status, tenure and approved use.
History of Victoria Street: a road between two districts
Victoria Street runs between two very different historic settings. To the north-east is Kampong Glam, which early town planning set aside for the Malay royal household and, in time, Arab and Bugis communities. To the south-west is the Bras Basah.Bugis area, which grew around mission schools, convents and trading rows. The street is the seam between them, which is why buyer briefs often use Bugis and Kampong Glam interchangeably when they mean Victoria Street frontage.
Within Kampong Glam, URA identifies the Malabar Muslim Jama'ath Mosque on Victoria Street, with its blue-tiled facade and golden dome, among the notable buildings of the Conservation Area. Elsewhere along the street you will find a mix of two- and three-storey shophouses and larger buildings that reflect later redevelopment around the Bugis interchange.
Conservation arrived in stages. Kampong Glam was gazetted on 7 July 1989, and the Queen Street Conservation Area, bounded by Victoria Street, Middle Road and Queen Street, followed on 15 October 1993. URA also notes that additional buildings in and around Kampong Glam were added to the conservation stock in 2011 and 2014. See our Kampong Glam neighbourhood page for the wider district.
1820s
Early town planning sets Kampong Glam aside for the Malay royal household and later Arab and Bugis communities.
7 July 1989
Kampong Glam is gazetted a Conservation Area by URA, with Victoria Street as one boundary.
15 October 1993
Queen Street Conservation Area is gazetted, bounded by Victoria Street, Middle Road and Queen Street.
Mid-1990s
Bugis Junction opens with a conserved shophouse row enclosed under a glazed roof.
2005
Istana Kampong Gelam is restored as the Malay Heritage Centre, near the Victoria Street edge.
2011 and 2014
URA adds further buildings in and around Kampong Glam to the conservation stock.
Shophouses along Victoria Street and the blocks beside it
Victoria Street is a long, busy road, so its shophouse stock is not uniform. Some stretches carry conserved rows with a continuous five-foot way, while others are interrupted by larger developments. The most important screening question is which side of the boundary a lot sits on, since the Kampong Glam Conservation Area and the Queen Street Conservation Area both carry their own guidelines and character.
The malls you will see nearby, including Bugis Junction and Bugis+, share the same walking catchment as the shophouses. They are competitors and also generators of footfall, and the balance changes block by block. CHIJMES, the former convent complex, is also on Victoria Street. That is a useful orientation point, but its status and use are a separate matter, and nothing on this page implies any affiliation with it.
The table compares the blocks and edges a buyer is most likely to consider. It describes typical character only, and individual lots differ.
| Block or edge | Typical stock and style | Typical use | Conservation note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kampong Glam side, toward Arab Street | Two-storey early and transitional shophouses | Retail, cafes, services | Inside the Kampong Glam Conservation Area |
| Queen Street edge | Conserved institutional and shophouse mix | Offices, education-linked, services | Inside the Queen Street Conservation Area |
| Bugis interchange frontage | Mix of conserved rows and larger retail | Retail, F&B, services | Lot-by-lot; confirm each building |
| Mosque and Malabar edge | Notable religious and heritage buildings | Mainly non-shophouse use | Heritage context; check each lot |
| North Bridge Road side streets | Older commercial stock, some conserved | Offices, shops, hotels nearby | Lot-by-lot |
On Victoria Street the first question is not what the building looks like but which conservation area it belongs to.
Uses for Victoria Street shophouses
Ground floors commonly host retail, services and food and beverage. Upper floors are used for offices, studios, training space or storage. The proximity to arts and education institutions in the Bras Basah.Bugis area supports tenants that serve students and staff, while the Kampong Glam side supports destination retail and restaurants.
Because Victoria Street is a heavier traffic road than the inner lanes, units here tend to suit concepts that benefit from visibility and ease of access more than from quiet atmosphere. Noise, pollution and loading access should be checked in person, especially for dining concepts that rely on outdoor seating.
Residential use depends on zoning and approved use, not on a building's appearance. Our guide to commercial and residential ABSD explains why tax follows the lot, and you should check current IRAS rates before any purchase. For kitchens, read the F&B licensing and change-of-use guide before relying on existing use.
Queen Street and Kampong Glam conservation on Victoria Street
Victoria Street marks a boundary for two conservation areas. The Kampong Glam Conservation Area, gazetted on 7 July 1989, is bounded by Ophir Road, Victoria Street, Jalan Sultan and Beach Road. The Queen Street Conservation Area, gazetted on 15 October 1993, is bounded by Victoria Street, Middle Road and Queen Street. Which side of the line a lot falls on determines the applicable guidelines.
For any conserved lot, the facade, envelope and key features must be retained and restored. Additions, alterations and change of use need approval, and a Specific Restoration Guidelines request can spell out what must be done. A lot outside either area may still be an older building, but it does not carry the same restoration duties and may be redeveloped within planning parameters.
Read the URA conservation guidelines buyer manual and confirm the lot's status on URA's portal before paying a heritage premium. For more on the Bugis side, see the Bugis neighbourhood page.
Getting to Victoria Street: MRT and bus context
Bugis MRT is the main station, an interchange between the East West Line (EW12) and Downtown Line (DT14), and it sits close to the Victoria Street frontage. For the western end of the street, Bras Basah (CC2) on the Circle Line and Bencoolen (DT21) on the Downtown Line are within walking range. Check each walking distance yourself, because underground links through malls can change the practical route.
Many bus services stop along Victoria Street, Rochor Road and North Bridge Road. For tenants, the combination of rail and bus access is the street's main strength. For owners, it is also a reminder that some pedestrians use underground links and never walk past the shopfronts.
If you are comparing the street with the lanes behind it, Arab Street and Haji Lane have a quieter pedestrian feel, while Victoria Street carries more through traffic.
Victoria Street shophouse price and rent evidence (as of 5 November 2026)
We do not publish a price, rent or yield for Victoria Street. The street spans different conservation regimes, building sizes and tenures, so a single number would mislead. If a listing quotes a street average, ask for the evidence behind it.
To build your own comparison, review caveats and transaction data for the Rochor area through URA information and data providers. Separate freehold from leasehold, conserved from non-conserved, whole building from strata unit, and ground floor from upper floors. For rent, use signed leases rather than asking rents, and note whether the lease covers one floor or the whole building.
Our yields and capital appreciation research explains how to read market data cautiously. For current inventory, see the commercial shophouses for sale hub and the shophouses for rent hub.
| Factor | Why it matters | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation area | Queen Street and Kampong Glam carry different guidelines | URA portal and which boundary the lot sits within |
| Tenure | Freehold and leasehold price differently | Title and remaining lease |
| Approved use | Controls retail, F&B and any residential use | Master Plan zoning and approved use on record |
| Road exposure | Visibility helps, but traffic affects dining | Site visit at different times |
| Mall competition | Malls share the catchment | Pedestrian routes and underground links |
| Tenant covenant | Drives income reliability | Signed leases, expiry, rent reviews |
Retail and F&B on Victoria Street
Victoria Street draws from three demand pools: commuters through the Bugis interchange, students and staff from the nearby institutions, and visitors walking to Kampong Glam. That supports convenience, casual dining and specialist services more than a single destination identity. The Kampong Glam side has a stronger destination character than the mall-facing side.
We do not name individual businesses on this page, and nothing here implies that any operator is affiliated with us or with a listing. Tenant lists change quickly. When assessing a unit, visit at lunchtime, on a weekday evening and on a weekend afternoon, and count customers entering rather than only passers-by.
Large malls offer air-conditioned convenience and long opening hours, so shophouse operators usually compete on differentiation: a specialist service, a distinct menu or a location that suits the Kampong Glam visitor. That is a useful test of whether a concept fits the street.
Investment and ownership angle on Victoria Street
The upside case rests on excellent transport access, a mix of tenant demand and conserved stock in a district that has otherwise redeveloped. The downside case is a heterogeneous streetscape that is hard to benchmark, mall competition, traffic noise and the fact that conservation obligations come with costs. Returns are lot-specific, and we do not publish an average.
Owner-occupiers with services, studio or specialist retail concepts may value the visibility and access. Investors should model restoration costs, vacancy between tenants and any redevelopment possibility for non-conserved lots. Do not assume that a Kampong Glam address on the far side of the street carries the same premium as the Bugis side.
To compare with other fringe areas, use the city-fringe district playbook and the shorter Bugis area briefing. Take legal, tax and valuation advice for a specific lot.
Reviewed 2026-11-05. Figures, boundaries and rules change; confirm conservation status, zoning and approved use with URA and a qualified professional before transacting.
Victoria Street shophouse FAQs
Are there shophouses on Victoria Street in Bugis?+
Yes. Victoria Street has conserved shophouse rows, particularly on the Kampong Glam and Queen Street sides, mixed with larger retail and institutional buildings. The stock is not uniform, so check each lot's conservation status, tenure and approved use rather than relying on the street name.
Is Victoria Street in Bugis or Kampong Glam?+
It is the boundary between them. The Kampong Glam Conservation Area is bounded by Ophir Road, Victoria Street, Jalan Sultan and Beach Road, while the Queen Street Conservation Area is bounded by Victoria Street, Middle Road and Queen Street. The lot's exact position decides which applies.
Which conservation areas meet at Victoria Street?+
The Kampong Glam Conservation Area, gazetted on 7 July 1989, and the Queen Street Conservation Area, gazetted on 15 October 1993. Each has its own guidelines, so confirm which side of the boundary a lot sits on and check URA's conservation portal for lot-level status.
Which MRT station serves Victoria Street shophouses?+
Bugis, on the East West Line (EW12) and Downtown Line (DT14), is the closest for most of the street. For the western end, Bras Basah (CC2) and Bencoolen (DT21) are within walking range. Check each walk yourself, as underground links affect routes.
What can a Victoria Street shophouse be used for?+
Typical uses are ground-floor retail, services and food and beverage, with offices, studios or storage above. The permitted use depends on Master Plan zoning and the approved use for the lot, and any change of use in a conserved building needs URA permission.
How do I find the price of a Victoria Street shophouse?+
Do not rely on a single average. Review caveats and transaction data for the Rochor area, separate freehold from leasehold and conserved from non-conserved, and compare like with like on floor area and approved use. For rent, use signed leases rather than asking figures.
Is Victoria Street good for F&B?+
It has strong transport access and mixed demand from commuters, students and visitors, which suits casual dining and services. Traffic noise and mall competition are trade-offs. Any kitchen conversion still needs the right approved use, licensing and, for conserved buildings, conservation permission.
How is Victoria Street different from Arab Street?+
Victoria Street is a busier boundary road with mixed shophouse and larger buildings, while Arab Street is a shorter, quieter destination street inside the Kampong Glam Conservation Area. Footfall patterns, frontage and rents differ, so use separate evidence for each.
Do shophouses near CHIJMES have the same conservation status?+
Not necessarily. CHIJMES is on Victoria Street, but nearby buildings may sit in different conservation areas or outside them. Do not infer status from proximity. Check each lot on URA's conservation portal and ask for any restoration guidelines before relying on a heritage premium.