F&B licences of 3 pivoted nightlife venues revoked for breaching COVID-19 measures
The Charm allowed physical interaction between customers, visitors and staff. (Photo: SFA)
SINGAPORE: Three food and beverage (F&B) outlets that were formerly nightlife operators have had their food licences permanently revoked for breaching COVID-19 safe management measures.
The three F&B outlets are The Charm in Fook Hai Building, Icon II which is also known as Club IICON in Parklane Shopping Mall, and Frederico’s Paddles Too Pub & Cafeteria at The Odeon Katong.
The outlets, which had their licences revoked by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), must cease operations with immediate effect, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) on Friday (Jul 23).
The Charm had failed to minimise physical interaction between customers, visitors and staff. It also allowed hostessing and provided forms of entertainment such as card and dice games to customers on Jul 13, said MSE.
Icon II similarly failed to minimise interactions between customers, visitors and staff, and allowed hostessing on Jul 13.
Both The Charm and Icon II were ordered to cease operations from Jul 18.
Frederico’s Paddles Too Pub & Cafeteria operated during the mandatory two-week suspension period on Jul 17, said MSE. It was ordered to cease operations from Jul 22.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) had previously announced that all nightlife establishments that had pivoted to operating as F&B outlets would have to suspend business for two weeks from Jul 16 to Jul 30.
During the suspension period, all employees will be tested for COVID-19.
The outlets will only be allowed to resume operations after Jul 30 if they pass an inspection and receive approval from SFA.
"This suspension period will serve to keep our community safe by allowing time for all employees at pivoted nightlife establishments to be tested and for enforcement agencies to conduct checks to ensure that safe management measures protocols are in place," said MSE.
It added that any pivoted nightlife establishment found to be operating during the suspension will face "firm enforcement action, including prosecution and the permanent cancellation of licences for food, public entertainment and liquor".
18 F&B OUTLETS ORDERED TO CLOSE; 4 OUTLETS FINED
In the media release, MSE said a total of 18 F&B premises were ordered to close for breaching COVID-19 rules.
Breaches included multiple failures to ensure that patrons across tables were seated at least 1m apart, allowing groups that exceeded the permitted group size, and allowing groups that were not from the same household to be seated across multiple tables.
The outlets also allowed live entertainment such as live singing, dancing, music and games to be played within their premises, as well as failing to ensure temperature taking and proper check-ins via TraceTogether.
The affected premises are:
- Club Secret (5 Magazine Road)
- Bollywood Beats (79 Circular Road)
- Kaayaloram (77 Boat Quay)
- The Penny Black (26 Boat Quay)
- Shebang (82 Circular Road)
- Tanjong Hwaro (67 Tanjong Pagar Road)
- H.O.M (33 Cuppage Road)
- Ohms Garden (672 Chander Road)
- Millionaire Club (Orchard Towers)
- KFC (Far East Plaza)
- East Ocean Teochew Restaurant (Ngee Ann City)
- Kopitiam (Compass One, Tampines Mall)
- MeiShi MeiKe by Kopitiam (Hougang Mall)
- Cantine (Paya Lebar Square)
- Tongue Tip Lanzhou Beef Noodles (Jurong Point Shopping Centre)
- Teck Seng Restaurant Pte Ltd (511 Geylang Road)
- BBQ People (513 Geylang Road)
MSE said four premises were also fined between S$1,000 to S$2,000 each for breaching safe management measures, including seating groups of customers less than 1m apart.
The affected premises facing fines are:
- Express Tandoor (70 Boat Quay)
- Cold Play Bar & Bistro (Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall)
- PCI Global (Peninsula Plaza)
- Xiang Fei Pte Ltd (Parklane Shopping Mall)
ACTION TAKEN AGAINST INDIVIDUALS
Eight individuals were also fined S$300 each for gathering in groups larger than the permitted group size while dining at various F&B outlets, said MSE.
Another 79 people were fined for breaching safe management measures from Jul 17 to Jul 20 in parks and beaches managed by the National Parks Board (NParks).
These breaches included not wearing masks when not engaging in strenuous exercises, and gathering in groups larger than the permitted limit, said MSE.
"For example, NParks will be taking appropriate enforcement action against a group of 15 individuals who were caught gathering at Changi Beach Park," said the ministry.
More than 1,500 advisories were also issued for not people wearing masks or for gathering in groups larger than the permitted limit.
"Premises owners and individuals are urged to strictly adhere to safe management measures as we tighten restrictions during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)," said MSE.
"These restrictions are in place for everyone’s safety and we must work together to help stem transmission of COVID-19 in the community."
It added that the Government will continue to review enforcement efforts on F&B outlets to ensure safety measures are strictly adhered to.
"Agencies will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against operators and individuals who flout safe management measures," said MSE.
