SMU Associate Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies Margaret Chan commented on the colourful murals that adorn the exterior of Blu Jaz Café. She said that “While URA’s efforts to preserve the traditional architecture of old shophouses is to be applauded, we could perhaps be more open to artistic efforts that do not alter the structure of the building”. She questioned what it means to retain the character of the building. The murals were in breach of Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) laws, but URA has since made an exception for it and is currently rethinking its stance.