3 F&B outlets ordered to close for allowing patrons who did not meet vaccination requirements to dine-in

SINGAPORE: Three food & beverage outlets have been ordered to close after allowing customers who did not meet the requirements for vaccination-differentiated measures to dine-in, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said on Friday (Aug 27)

No Name Bar at Prinsep Street, Authentic Mun Chee Kee King of Pig's Organ Soup at Jalan Besar and Bigg Boss at Clive Street failed to check the vaccination status of people before allowing them to enter, and allowed people without "cleared" status to dine-in, said the ministry.

No Name Bar also delayed the entry of enforcement officers, failed to ensure patrons in the bar kept to the permitted group size and did not implement SafeEntry for customers, said MSE.

All three outlets have been ordered to close for 10 days.

Under current restrictions, dining-in at F&B outlets is only allowed in groups of up to five for people who are fully vaccinated, those who have recovered from COVID-19 and have a valid pre-event test exemption notice, and those with a valid negative pre-event test result.

Anyone can dine-in at hawker centres and coffee shops, but in groups of up to two.

MSE said enforcement was stepped up over the past week, with agencies checking nearly 700 premises and more than 2,500 individuals for adherence to vaccination-differentiated measures.

SAFE MANAGEMENT MEASURES BREACHED

Separately, seven other F&B outlets were ordered to close for breaching various COVID-19 safe management measures.

One repeat offender - Haru at Magazine Road - delayed the entry of enforcement officers into the lounge and gave false information that there were no customers inside, said MSE.

Another repeat offender was Glassy Junction Pub & Restaurant at Sam Leong Road, which failed to minimise interaction between staff and customers and played music in its premises, said the ministry.

These businesses were ordered to close for 30 days.

MSE also identified Beer Belly Lok Lok Bar at Tai Seng Point for allowing the sale or consumption of alcohol after 10.30pm and playing music, and Chips Cafe and Bar at Ming Arcade for not ensuring at least 1m of safe distancing between seated customers.

Both bars were ordered to close for 20 days.

The ministry said Bar-beque at Prinsep Street failed to ensure that customers kept to the permitted group size.

Lotus@Norris at Norris Road failed to ensure gatherings kept to the permitted group size and also did not ensure SafeEntry and temperature checks for people entering the premises, prior to the lifting of the temperature screening requirement, said MSE.

Thalappakatti Restaurant at Kitchener Road also failed to minimise physical interaction between seated customers, it added.

These businesses were given orders to close for 10 days.

TCC at International Building was fined S$2,000 for failing to ensure at least 1m of safe distance between seated customers. This was their second offence, said MSE.

Ten people were also issued composition fines for breaching various safe distancing measures, including failing to wear a mask when not eating or drinking.