Covid-19: Pilot for reopening of bars, pubs extended by 2 months with no new operators added
The pilot — involving Bar Kiharu, Bell Bar and Skinny’s Lounge — will be extended until April 7, 2021 with no changes to the Covid-19 safety rulings that had been prescribed before, the authorities said.
SINGAPORE — The small-scale pilot programme for bars and pubs to reopen safely amid the Covid-19 pandemic has been extended for two more months, though the authorities will not be expanding the initiative to other operators apart from the three already on board.
In a press statement on Friday (Feb 5), the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said that the decision not to have more participants was based on the Covid-19 situation in Singapore, where there has been an increase in the number of infections with no known links in the community.
“This is to mitigate the risk of further community transmission and formation of clusters in high-risk settings,” it said, adding that the same consideration had applied for the deferment of the nightlife pilots for nightclubs and karaoke outlets that was announced on Jan 18.
The authorities had first announced the pilot for bars and pubs on Nov 6 last year to allow a limited number of nightlife outlets to reopen with stringent safe management measures. It began on Dec 8 and was to have lasted for two months.
MTI said that enforcement agencies have “closely monitored the participating outlets' compliance” with safety regulations throughout the pilot period and have found that they have been followed.
As such, the pilot — involving Bar Kiharu, Bell Bar and Skinny’s Lounge — will be extended until April 7 with no changes to the safety rulings that had been prescribed before.
“Enforcement agencies will also continue to monitor the compliance of these outlets and their customers with the safe management measures,” it said.
In the event of breaches, enforcement actions will be taken under the Covid-19 laws and the participating operator may be removed from the pilot.
The operator may also be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to six months, or both.
“We will continue to monitor the public health situation closely, before any decision is taken to scale up the pilot for bars and pubs or commence the pilots for nightclubs and karaoke outlets, or both” the ministry added.
