Beach Road is one of the early roads developed in Singapore and appears in George Coleman’s 1836 Map of Singapore. The road was actually a coastal road fronting the sea coast in the early decades of the colonial city. Sir Stamford Raffles reserved Beach Road for the residences of the European merchants. Apparently it was common for the water to come up and over Beach Road at high tide, before the land now in front of Beach Road was reclaimed. Apart from houses, there were hotels, clubs and bars as well. The area was also the scene of frequent brawls, as in the days before Tanjong Pagar became the port area, European sailors on shore leave would make for Beach Road.