Opened in 1933 and named after Sir Hugh Charles Clifford, who was Governor of the Straits Settlements (1927-1929), Clifford Pier was built to replace Johnston’s Pier along Collyer Quay. Despite the initial dispute about its name, the pier soon became a busy landing point for goods and passengers. Like its predecessor, the new pier was commonly referred to in Hokkien as ‘ang teng’ or in Malay as ‘lampu merah’, meaning ‘red lamp’, in reference to the red warning light for ships found at the end of both piers. In the 1960s, the carpark near the entrance to the pier served as a hawker centre at night. Following development works in the 1970s, the carpark was removed and the Change Alley Plaza complex was erected opposite the pier.
