Yeoh Siew Hoon checks out a sushi bar in Singapore that stands out from the crowd, and mulls over a standing tradition in our industry.

If Michael O' Leary of Ryanair had his way, we could one day be standing on flights. His vision is to offer standing room flights where those who stand pay less than those who sit.

Actually the concept of standing on transportation is not new. Standing on trains and buses is part of a commuter's life. In India, on some overnight trains, they sleep standing up.

In fact in India, there is a sect called the Standing Babas who have taken a vow to stand their entire lives. It's a form of self-infllicted corporal punishment intended to bring spiritual enlightenment, says the fountain of all knowledge, Wikipedia.

Actually I have stood on a flight once and it was on a Russian military helicopter over Angkor Wat. Those were the days when flights were allowed over the ancient ruins and I found the experience a real stand-out.

So the idea of standing is as old as time actually.

Thus when I was invited to the opening of a standing sushi bar (pictured left) in Singapore, I didn't sit down in surprise. After all, the skill of standing, drinking, eating and talking all at the same time is a prerequisite skill if you work in travel.

The Standing Sushi Bar in Raffles Place (pictured right) is owned by Howard Lo, who doesn't look old enough to be standing on his own two feet actually but obviously has enough appetite to take on what most people would deem a risky venture at the best of times.

Howard told me he had seen lots of standing eateries in places like Tokyo and New York where real estate is at a prime – and yes, chairs and tables take up space. In Barcelona, those tapa bars where you stand out on the streets and drink and eat are also pretty cool, I reckon.

So he decided to make a stand in Singapore. The recession was also the perfect time – rents have come down and he was able to secure a small space in a prime location where office workers are constantly prowling for new eateries.

Howard's smart, I reckon. If he had opened just another sushi bar, he'd be swallowed up by the bigger fish – there's a sushi bar in almost every corner of Singapore these days. But by having a standing sushi bar, he should be able to stand out from the crowd.

The sushi I had that night was very good. He's found himself a sushi chef who's got 20-odd years of experience. The place is bright and cheerful, the staff friendly and enthusiastic.

Pictured right: Craig Hewitt (right) and Steven Gong of Wego were the first to go to stand at the sushi bar

He tells me he's getting more men than women though – it seems men don't mind standing and eating, but women are more reluctant. Maybe it's the high heels or the handbags – Howard needs to put hooks under the countertops if he wants to get more women customers – or they think standing gives varicose veins?

But I reckon after you've been sitting in an office chair for hours, standing for 30 minutes to eat sounds like a good break.

There's something about standing and eating that actually encourages more conversation than sitting and eating. Observe what happens at cocktail parties – when people are standing, they tend to talk more even when there are speakers giving speeches. Sit them down, and they shut up.

Also, did you know sitting is an occupational health hazard? I found an article which quoted an expert as saying, "Chair time is an insidious hazard because people haven't been told it's a hazard."

It seems if you sit a lot, you're not burning body fat. "The existing data, by numerous studies, are starting to show that the rates of heart disease and diabetes and obesity are doubled or sometimes even tripled in people who sit a lot," said the expert.

His recommendation is to "take breaks at work. Stand up while talking on the phone or even while watching TV".

It seems that standing also helps shrink your waistline – the average person can burn an extra 60 calories an hour just by standing.

So don't just sit there, people. After all, remember, you've got to stand for something, otherwise, you stand for nothing. And some things are worth standing for, even a plate of sushi.

Yeoh Siew Hoon, one of Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, writes a regular column on news, trends and issues in the hospitality industry for 4Hoteliers.com.

Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her other writings can be found at www.thetransitcafe.com

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