Different walks of life in Singapore have different attitudes towards the value of Jalan Besar. The trendy youth regard the cafés and pubs all over the streets and lanes in Jalan Besar as their comfort zone, while the older generation keep recalling the amusing world there all through the night. It is also a place with secret clubs where some eccentric men wander around with flirting eyes. This sophisticated yet conflict personality attracts quite a few entrepreneurs to set up business at Jalan Besar, even though it is frequently regarded as a neglected old block. Nowadays, Jalan Besar has become a centre of entertainment and fashion. 　　

Mike Tay associates with his friend Vincent Chow in an art gallery named Flaneur, which means “wanderers in city”. Located at Jalan Besar, this gallery specially supports young local artists, enhancing their reputations by holding exhibitions for them. As a textile designer, Mike used to wander around Jalan Besar like a character of wanderer in the 19th-century Paris created by Benjamin. During this wandering, he gradually noticed the unique identity of Jalan Besar. Jalan Besar is at the downtown area, there are no multiple commercial activities. It even appears to be a bit desolate, leaving some dying business, such as iron workers and mirror makers, to struggle for a living. However, it turned out that the wandering “cost” him a lot because he bought a two-story old shophouse with a long history, which he then redesigned the first floor into a design shop named Onlewo, and the second floor the Flaneur Gallery. 　　

The odd name “Jalan Besar” is originated in Malay, which means “avenue”. Jalan Besar is one of the earliest avenues built at the time when Singapore was colonised by British. It used to be the main street connecting the downtown and the urban area. Later it means the general block around the street. Although Jalan Besar may not be as popular as the Chinatown, the Arab Street or the Little India, it is more valuable thanks to its untamed nature brought by 540 protected old houses, most of which are with a long history over a century. Some of the houses have been renovated delicately and some even remain their original appearances. The 1930s witnessed the prosperous Singapore nightlife in Jalan Besar, which is the reason why nowadays, there are quite a few night clubs around the block, where local middle-age men would bring girls with heavy make-up passing by. Such wildness is at odd with the gentrification atmosphere, which highlights the diversity and colours of the old block. 　　

There is no way for a land like Jalan Besar to be deserted in Singapore where there is a scarcity of land resource. Taking a fancy to its advantageous location with proximity to the city centre and its low rental, which has not been raised by the speculators, many creative people have set up business and settle there. Therefore, countless cafés, restaurants and boutique hotels have sprung up here in recent two years, where more and more trendy local youth would gather and have parties. Currently, almost every few months, new stores with various themes would land there. 　　

It could not be ignored that revitalisation of old blocks by local government sometimes tends to exert a negative effect, which would drive out the atmosphere of marketplace in daily life. The Chinatown is a living example. Therefore, in Singapore, which is famous at its well planning and its big government dominating overall, Jalan Besar is more intriguing because this place is developed out of folk innovation and market factors. A media worker, Ming, who recently wandered around Jalan Besar said, “Everything in Singapore is too neat and new, resulting in the loss of original feelings in many renovated historic blocks. However, in Jalan Besar, I could sometimes see the local elder taking a three-wheeler. I could see old-fashioned stores everywhere. It is these traditional yet fashionable collections that demonstrate the unique attraction of this block.” In the Lion City, where people build faith in replacing the old with the new and that development is the absolute principle, the preservation of local style will depend on the efforts of the local enthusiastic people.