Niche

Niche was a gay disco located at level 3 of Far East Plaza.

It opened in April 1983 to cash in on the popularity of Marmota, a gay disco at Kallang Leisuredrome on the outskirts of the city area. The proprietors who set up Niche probably thought that a more centrally located gay disco would draw in larger crowds, especially since they noted that the management and patrons at Marmota were not harassed by the police.

Prior to the 1980s, venues such as Pebble Bar were not allowed to have men dancing with each other but with the relaxation of this arbitrary rule at gay discos located away from the city area like The Hangar and Marmota, entrepreneurs were keen to test the waters in a more central location.

Niche was patronised by a more English-educated crowd than Marmota. It operated for a few years before closing down in the mid-1980s.

Several years later, another disco bearing the same name opened at 32 Pagoda Street in Chinatown. The unit was subsequently occupied by Absolute sauna and currently by Ten Men sauna.

This second incarnation of Niche in Chinatown had its liquor license withdrawn in 1989 and was given only a week to close down. No reason was provided for the police action but a person, personally involved in the running of the disco, believed it was a reaction to the first reported AIDS death in Singapore.

=See also=


 * Singapore gay venues: historical

=References=

=Acknowledgements=

This article was written by Roy Tan.