Renovation of the FMS

In Feb 2010 I was lucky to be able to join a private tour of the famous FMS bar and restaurant in Ipoh, which is closed for renovation.

I posted a few photos on FMS album.

The Star report

The NST journalist wrote the following (which I am reproducing here as the NST www doesn't hold articles indefinitely).

 

Facelift for 104-year-old eatery

NST 2010/02/26

By Diana Yeoh

IPOH: Businessman Lee Yee Tsong's passion for heritage "masterpieces" inspired him to invest more than RM1 million to transform the rundown century-old FMS Bar & Restaurant here. The 104-year-old restaurant in Jalan Sultan Idris Shah last opened its doors to customers in March 2008 and has been closed since.

Lee, who bought the property in the 1990s, had rented out the premises to a relative to run a food business.

Now it is no longer feasible to do business there and the building has since been unoccupied.

Lee is aware of the enormous efforts required to rehabilitate the building.

"I need to source for the best of raw materials such as meranti, imported tiles for the flooring and other quality materials for the doors and windows.

"Parts of the building that are in good condition will be retained while those that have been infested by termites will have to go," Lee said during a tour of the place on Thursday.

He said he would ensure that the building kept its original facade.

"Once the renovations are complete, the ground floor will still house a restaurant while a section of the first floor will be used for private functions," he said, adding that the second floor would be turned into a boutique hotel.

FMS, which stands for Federated Malay States, is a 19th-century Chinese-style shophouse built by a Hainanese immigrant in 1906.

It was first located in Jalan Sultan Yussuf before being moved to its present location in 1923.

The place, a favourite among European miners and planters, also served as a watering hole for cricket, rugby and football players, who played at Ipoh Padang, opposite the FMS.