More fans go all out for Taylor Swift tickets, undeterred when told to leave malls: 'I skipped class'
The Straits Times
Jul 6, 2023 Fans of American singer Taylor Swift who had been queueing at SingPost outlets inside malls were told on Thursday they had to leave when the premises close. At Woodlands Civic Centre, a queue formed outside the mall after those queueing inside were told by SingPost staff to leave.
Fans queueing outside the SingPost outlet in Bukit Panjang on July 6, 2023. Photo: The Straits Times
Only those who received an access code can buy tickets from SingPost. Access codes were sent to selected individuals who registered for the general sale. The Straits Times spoke to more than 30 fans across 12 SingPost outlets on Wednesday and Thursday in areas like Bukit Panjang, Ang Mo Kio and Tampines. First in line at the queue outside Woodlands Civic Centre was Mr Leroy Ng, 31, and his girlfriend, Ms Shermaine Lee, 29, who had arrived at 5am on Thursday. Mr Ng said at around 4 pm, Ms Lee and around 20 other fans were asked by the mall’s management staff to move outside the mall.Mr Leroy Ng, 31, was first in line outside Woodlands Civic Centre after mall management told fans to move outside. Photo: The Straits Times
One of the students at Hougang Mall, Gabriel Boo, 18, who had been queueing since 1pm, said SingPost staff told them at 8pm to find their own spots to queue when the building closes. He said: “We were told we would have to comply with security. It is my first time queueing for tickets, and I skipped class for this.”Fans Gabriel Boo (left) and Joy Kwok, who are first in line for Taylor Swift concert tickets, eating their dinner as they prepare to camp overnight outside Hougang Mall on July 6, 2023. Photo: The Straits Times
A SingPost spokesman told ST that the public are not allowed to queue at outlets located within malls. This is because tenancy agreements with the malls generally do not allow any tenants to operate outside the mall’s opening hours. She said: “If anyone would like to queue at our post offices that are located within malls, they can head to the post office once the mall is open.” For outlets located outside malls, the process was simpler. National University of Singapore student Nathanael Lim, 21, was queueing at Block 203 Toa Payoh North at 2.10pm on Thursday, 22 hours before tickets were sold. He said he was queueing for himself and three friends. Pulling out some snacks, a portable charger and fan, a Nintendo Switch game console and a toothbrush, he said: “It is going to be a long night.” Another student, Lim Shijie, 17, who had bought tickets during Wednesday’s pre-sale, went to SingPost’s Serangoon Gardens outlet on Thursday, where he had been queueing since 11am.Lim Shijie, 17, along with his girlfriend and friend, queued up since 11am on Thursday at SingPost’s Serangoon Gardens outlet to buy Taylor Swift tickets. Photo: The Straits Times
Tenth in line, he said he and his girlfriend had used 10 devices on Wednesday to buy four tickets for his girlfriend and her family, but wanted to get eight more for his friends. Mr Lim said: “I am confident of my chances. I am not queueing 24 hours for nothing.” Several group chats – used to discuss queueing strategies and to post updates on SingPost queues – were set up on messaging platform Telegram. They had up to 15,000 members each, who have been constantly updating which outlet is the most crowded. According to the group chats, there were queues at every outlet by 1pm.20-year-old Ng Wan Xin and her boyfriend queuing up for Taylor Swift tickets in Bukit Panjang. Photo: The Straits Times
At the Bukit Panjang outlet, Ms Ng Wan Xin, 20, and her boyfriend were sitting on a mat with some snacks and games. They had been there since 8am on Thursday. When asked what would happen if she cannot get tickets, she said: “I don’t even want to think about it.”- Additional reporting: Rebekah Chia, Christine Siow, Suzanne Chan and Ashley Chin
The Straits Times
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