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COVID-19: Gemma Steakhouse licensee fined S$14,000 over Halloween dinner involving 75 people

COVID-19: Gemma Steakhouse licensee fined S$14,000 over Halloween dinner involving 75 people

Gemma Steakhouse at the National Gallery Singapore. (Photo: Facebook/Gemma Steakhouse)

SINGAPORE: Il Lido, the licensee of Gemma Steakhouse, was fined S$14,000 on Wednesday (May 19) for breaching safe management measures during Phase 2 of Singapore's reopening from the "circuit breaker", said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

On Oct 31 last year, Gemma Steakhouse held a Halloween-themed dinner that was attended by about 75 diners comprising both members of a private club and their guests.

In a response to CNA's query, SFA identified the private members' club as Soho House, and said that appropriate enforcement action will be taken against the diners who breached safe management measures.

On Nov 2, 2020, SFA received information about the dinner. Investigations found that the restaurant had worked with a private members' club to organise the dinner.

"Although the diners were seated at tables of up to five, CCTV footage showed multiple occasions of intermingling between diners from different tables," said SFA in a media release. 

"The footage also showed that the restaurant staff did not take reasonable steps to prevent the intermingling between diners from different tables."

The restaurant was found to have breached safe management measures by accepting a large booking for this dinner and failing to take reasonable steps to prevent intermingling among the diners, said the agency.

Gemma Steakhouse was ordered to close for 20 days from Dec 3 to Dec 22 last year. 

READ: COVID-19: Gemma Steakhouse ordered to suspend operations over Halloween dinner involving 75 people

During Phase 2 of Singapore’s reopening from the circuit breaker, social gatherings of groups of more than five outside an individual’s residence were prohibited. Phase 2 started on Jun 19 and ended on Dec 27 last year.

Food and beverage outlets were also prohibited from accepting bookings from groups larger than five, even if such groups were split across multiple tables. Intermingling between groups across different tables was also strictly prohibited.

"The Government holds a serious view of flagrant breaches of safe management measures," said SFA. 

"While the majority have been adhering to the measures, it is regrettable that there remains a minority who continue to breach safe management measures. SFA will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action against operators and individuals who treat safe management measures with flagrant disregard."

COVID-19 remains "a grave threat", as shown by the recent increase in community cases, said SFA, adding that members of the public should be "socially responsible" and observe the safe management measures.

Under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, first-time offenders can be fined up to S$10,000, or jailed up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to S$20,000, jailed up to 12 months, or both.

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Source: CNA/ic

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