Rachel and I visited Wessex Estate together with our friends, Lewis and Cheryl a few months back to check out the studio open house.
Wessex Estate is owned by JTC Corporations and is slated by the Singapore government to be a hub for the creative enclave. From the official website, the estate is decribed to be “envisioned as a place where the gathering of diverse and creative minds will engender a bohemian culture that transcends norms and boundaries”.
It’s quite a ulu place to go to if you don’t drive as it’s a considerable walking distance from the nearest MRT station or bus stop. Lewis drove that day, which was a good thing cos the studios are not exactly located near to each other. The weather was sweltering hot as usual and the lush vegetation, abuzz with mosquitoes.
Nonetheless, all of us had an eventful, bohemian afternoon, hopping from studio to studio, checking out the various artworks on exhibit as well as chatting with some of the artists.
We had a quick bite at Colbar (short for “Colonial Bar”). Opened in 1953, Colbar was primarily a canteen for base personnel from the old British Army barracks in Portsdown Road. Currently located at Whitchurch road (Colbar was relocated during a major road construction), next to the Wessex Village Square, it whips up a variety of western and local food fares, ranging from fish and chips to fried rice.
Here’s the exact address and other details:
9A Whitchurch Road
Wessex Estate
Tel: +65 6779 4859
Opening hours: Tue–Sun, 11am – 10pm (Closed on Mondays)
I have dined there a couple of times even thought I find the prices at Colbar a tad pricey for essentially hawker fares. However, the quality is above-average and the ambient is fantastic. Eating there is like a walk down history when Singapore was still a British colony. All Singaporeans should at least visit Colbar once in their life.
Anyway, here are more photos I took to share:
If you are interested to visit Wessex Estate, you can go down any time and not just during the open house. More information is available via the official website. The place is not just for art buyers. There are quite a few cooking schools and art classes operating there too. Hence if you are an aspiring chef or artist, you may want to pop down to have a look too. 🙂
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