Hawker centres are food complexes consisting of stalls selling mostly local food. The first hawker centres were established in the 1960s as part of government efforts to clear the streets and public spaces of itinerant hawkers whose hygiene standards were not properly regulated. Stallholders in hawker centres are subjected to regular checks by public health officials to ensure that good standards of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained. Hawker centres, which are found in most housing estates, have become the place where many Singaporeans go to get their daily fix of affordable local delicacies.
