Five-foot ways crowded with customers - out for a smoke - spilling out from pubs.

Coffee shops empty inside but packed with customers - including scantily-clad women - sitting at tables outside.

Cars parked illegally on double-yellow lines.

And loud music drifting from pubs - as people entered and left the premises - disturbing residents living in the adjoining back lanes.

At the end of the trek, the CWG - made up of Joo Chiat residents and grassroots leaders - gathered for a debriefing session to consolidate their observations.

Their views, together with feedback from residents and businesses in the area, will be channelled to the police and government bodies such as the National Environment Agency and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

ON THE LOOKOUT: Members of the Joo Chiat Road Area Community Watch Group (CWG) who inspected the backlanes of Joo Chiat and saw scantily dressed women mingling with pub patrons and coffeeshop customers (above).

The night patrols are conducted once a month.

The CWG has no executive power as it is only a grassroots organisation under the People's Association, said Mr Loo, who has been with the group since it was formed in 2005.

But it has made a difference in improving the situation on Joo Chiat Road.

The number of massage parlours has dropped nearly eight-fold, from 30 in 2005 to the current four.

There are also fewer pubs in the area. There are now about 30 pubs, down from 46 three years ago.

Also, from 1 Jan, hotels in the Joo Chiat Road area will be banned from offering hourly rates.

If the hotels offer only full-day rates, there is likely to be less sleaze in the heritage area.

'The (government) agencies have also been working very hard on this, but there's still a lot of improvement that can be made,' said Mr Loo.

One of the major problems the CWG is tackling is the issue of obstruction of five-foot ways. Most of the culprits are pub patrons who linger outside the pubs to smoke and chat.

Difficult to walk

STREETWALKING: Foreign women interacting with local men is a common sight at night.

'When they do that, it makes it difficult for the residents to walk. It's also not desirable because they attract many foreign women who try to mingle with them,' said Mr Loo.

A similar situation occurs at the coffee shops in the area. Almost all the customers sit in the outdoor area instead of inside the coffeeshop.

'It's worse when it rains.' said Mr Loo. 'Residents find it even more difficult to pass through the area.'

He added: 'We don't mind if they carry on with their activities inside the pubs as long as they don't spill out to the street.

'We just want the place to be tidied up.'

This article was first published in The New Paper on Dec 9, 2008.